The Wild Stallion and the Drow
by Scooter
Summary: Genma's engaged Ranma to just about everyone, right? Well what if the Panda engages his son to the Patron Goddess of good Drow. Gee, won't Akane and the rest of the Wrecking Crew be pleased
1. Prologue

Standard disclaimer:  Ranma ½ is from the mind of Rumiko Takahashi, and distributed in the US by Viz.  The elven gods and other visitors from Toril are all from the equally fertile minds of Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb as well as all the other writers who work for TSR.  That means I don't own any of them, and are just perverting them for my enjoyment as well as yours, I hope.  

This story is a continuance based on Elle ½, an omake by Greg Sharp (AKA Metroanime), based on an idea he found at http://addventure.bast-enterprises.de  
  


That's done, now on with the story

-----

**The Wild Stallion and the Drow**

Prologue

Standing in the shadows, a cloaked stranger stood watching Genma shove his son back into the pit.  He walked over and, from behind the overweight martial artist, asked, "Oh come now, the 'Catfist'?  Are you a moron or an idiot?"

Genma spun around, and said, "I'm an idiot!"  *Wait a minute.*

The stranger looked over the boy and seemed to see some that made him smile.  "If you want to train him in unbeatable martial arts, then give me a year with him."

"One week," Genma countered.

"Nine months."

"One month."

"Six months."

"Done," Genma agreed.  "Now about payment…"

The stranger pulled out a wad of yen notes as thick as a panda's paw.  "I'll give you this, if you add his engagement to my daughter."

Genma did a double take.  With that much in the stranger's hand, he'd be rich!  It wasn't like he hadn't done this before.  "Done.  My son is just five years old, though."

"Not a problem."  The stranger pulled out a pen and contract from within his cloak.  "Just sign here."  After a momentary hesitation, and numerous looks at the cash sitting on an old tree stump, Genma signed.  It wasn't like the future panda planned on keeping to the agreement.

Genma skimmed over the contract after signing. (Who ever said the Panda read anything?)  "This is your name?  It doesn't look Japanese."

Pulling his hood back, he agreed.   "Its not.  The name's Corellon Larethian.  I'll be in touch."  The elf looked at his new charge.  Ranma was still covered in fish cakes, and was bleeding slightly from where the cats were scratching to get at the fish.

"Ranma," Genma called to his son, "you're going to train with this man for a while."  Genma inwardly smirked.  He'd follow the man and Ranma, and take his son back that night and keep the money.

"Ok Pop," the young martial artist said.  He looked at the elven god.  "Sensei."  The Father of All Elves smiled then led his charge deeper into the woods.  Sensing that Genma was following, Corellon took a deceptive path, getting the overweight martial artist completely turned around.

In a clearing only a few kilometers from the pit of cats, the elven god opened a portal and led Ranma through…  
  
-----

Arvandor

…And into a forested glade.  Corellon walked with the boy towards a castle made entirely of living trees—shadowtops, duskwoods, redwood, and sequoia.

"Sensei," Ranma asked, "where are we?"

"Ranma, we are in Arvandor, my realm.  Elves who worship the good elven gods come here when they die."

Ranma swallowed hard.  "So, am I dead Sensei?"

Corellon chuckled.  This human child was a refreshing change from the dourness of elves.  "No Ranma, you're not.  The spirits of our people still require certain things, as do the gods."  They entered the castle, and into a courtyard just off the main corridor. Corellon pointed to a young she-elf.  "Ranma, Ygraine will show you to your chambers.  I would like you to rest up before we start your training."

Ranma bowed.  "Hai, sensei," and followed the young elf off to his chambers.

Corellon had his majordomo take the contract signed by Genma and secure it.

One of the elder gods, sipping a glass of everquisst looked at his lord.  "Who's the kid?"

"Well, you know how I've been after one of my daughters to drop the 'maiden' from her name?  How she's rejected everyone from the pantheon—including Hanali, and you *know* how hard she can be to turn down."

"You mean Eilistraee?  Yeah, she's still in that argument with your ex-wife.  So what has he got to do with her, anyway?"

"The boy was being trained by his father in Anything Goes style of unarmed combat. Well, attempting to be trained by him.  As to what this has to do with my daughter, well let's just say that I've just engaged her to that boy."

Elves normally do not spit take; as it is inelegant and undignified.  Elven gods normally don't either.  So when Labelas Enoreth sprayed Corellon with his everquisst, it had to be an illusion.  Except that Corellon was standing there, wiping the exquisite alcohol from his face with a cloth.  Of course, it could have been a very convincing illusion.  "WHAT?!"  Labelas asked, incredulously.

"According to the contract, they'll be engaged be engaged on his seventeenth summer.  He's got a year here, before we reinsert him into his original timeline some six months after his departure," said a smirking Father of All Elves.  "He'll learn bow and sword and woodcraft from the best of the best.  And when he returns to the Earth, his father will seek to make him a master of unarmed combat."

Labelas shook his head.  "Does she even *know* yet?"

"She'll find out any…"

A cry could be heard from across the courtyard.  "FATHER!!"

Corellon smirked.

Eilistraee came running into the courtyard.  Corellon looked at his only daughter by his ex-wife and kept a small smile on his face.  "Father," the drow goddess said, "how could you promise me in marriage?"

"Eilistraee, think of it as a political treaty; you needn't think of it as a relationship based on love, although I would hope that would result of this marriage."  His dark-skinned daughter did not look happy at all.  "You have some time before the contract either is nullified or goes into effect.  The lad is only five years old.  And you are still young yet, my daughter.

"For now, I would just appreciate your being his friend.  Your fiancé was taken from his mother, and was in the process of being trained by someone looking for a quick way to an unbeatable skill.  One of the eternal problems of humans," Corellon sighed, "is that they are always in a rush."

The goddess of good Drow thought on it for a few moments.  I will do as you ask, Father, but I will not hesitate in my war against Mother."

"Good.  I wouldn't think of it any other way.  Now, with that out of the way, Eilistraee, I would like you to teach young Ranma the sword."  Corellon smirked again.  "I told his father that I would make him a master in armed combat, so who better to learn from than the elves.  But we only have a limited time to do it in."

"How long do I have with the boy?"

"Four months."

"Four months?  That's barely enough time to for me to teach him the basics of swordcraft.  And you want me to make him an expert in four months?  Father, forgive me for saying this, but you are crazy."

Corellon gave his daughter an insufferable smirk.

-----

C&C welcome.  Flames will be used for dinner

Elven Deity Primer will follow, eventually.


	2. The Training Circle

Standard disclaimer:  Ranma ½ is from the mind of Rumiko Takahashi, and distributed in the US by Viz.  The elven gods and other visitors from Toril are all from the equally fertile minds of Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb as well as all the other writers who work for TSR.  That means I don't own any of them, and are just perverting them for my enjoyment as well as yours, I hope.  

This story is a continuance based on Elle ½, an omake by Greg Sharp (AKA Metroanime), based on an idea he found at http://addventure.bast-enterprises.de  
  


That's done, now on with the story

-----

**The Wild Stallion and the Drow**

Chapter 1 

Dawn arrived in Arvandor like any other day.  Except that this was unlike any other day.  A human boy, quite alive, was to begin training in elven martial arts—the bow and sword, in survival and hunting, in tracking and living in harmony with the land.  For that boy, it arrived with a splash, as a bucket of ice-cold water was dumped on him at the crack of dawn.  "Ranma, get up," Eilistraee shouted.  Her first day with her fiancé as her student, and already she wasn't terribly impressed.

"What'ya do that for?"  Ranma asked, as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Because I couldn't wake you up any other way," replied the young drow goddess.  "Now get dressed, and meet me in the courtyard.  We begin your training today."  Ranma nodded, and climbed out of the soft bed.  He quickly threw on his training gi and hastened out to the courtyard, following the path he'd taken with Ygraine yesterday.  A table had been set with a light, typical elven breakfast.  Ranma managed to grab a pastry and piece of fruit before he saw Eilistraee standing there, her arms crossed, and a hand and a half sword on her back.  "Good.  Now, come with me, Ranma."  She took his hand, and began chanting softly in elvish.  A glow surrounded the two as they disappeared.

The two appeared in a clearing in the forests of the elven afterlife.  "Ranma," Eilistraee said, "choose a sword."

"I don't want to.  Pops told me that anyone who relies on a weapon is weak."

She smirked.  "Do you think me weak, Ranma?"

"Nah.  Yer a goddess, so even if you don't have any weapons, you're still pretty powerful."

Eilistraee openly smiled.  "Very perceptive, Ranma.  But let me ask you this:  What if I were to be in a situation where I could not use my magics either by them being exhausted or it reveal my nature?"

"Then I'd be there to protect ya," Ranma said with an all-knowing smirk.

*The boy's that self-assured.  Impressive.  But how well his ego will hold up to fighting a drow,* Eilistraee thought.  "But what if you weren't there, Ranma."

"Oh, I see your point, Eil-chan."  The boy martial artist looked ashamed.  With hesitance, he reached over and pulled a European-style longsword from the collection of swords.  Eilistraee barely stifled a chuckle when she saw how much trouble Ranma was having holding a sword that was as big as he was up.

"An impressive choice, Ranma.  Perhaps you should take a lighter sword for the time being."  The drow reached over and with a quick spell, the longsword became proportional to its bearer.  "The sword and its scabbard are attuned to you, Ranma.  As you grow, so will they.  Should anyone else touch it out of or remove it from its scabbard, a mild electrical shock will result, numbing the hand of the bearer, unless you will it."  Eilistraee smiled, as she became a chibi-drow.  "Just one of the advantages of being the goddess of the sword.

"Now, do you know how to use a sword?"

Ranma held up the sword and pointed to the tip.  "Sure.  Ya stick the pointy end into yer opponent."

Eilistraee sighed.  "I see we are going to have a lot of work to do."  She led him to a smooth area in the clearing.  The stone surface was smooth as marble, black granite marked various circles and lines.  She placed Ranma into the inner circle and moved to another circle within the outer ring.  "This is what is called a training circle.  This will be your world.  Until I say it exists, nothing exists out of this circle…"

"What about Pops?" Ranma interrupted.

"He doesn't exist until I say he does.  As you advance, you'll move to a smaller circle, bringing you that much closer to your target; that much closer to retribution."  Eilistraee moved towards her student.  "Now, we begin."  She drew her sword, and Ranma did likewise.  He charged her, holding his longsword like a katana as if he were some deranged samurai.  Eilistraee quickly brought her own sword up, and knocked Ranma's out of his hands.  She sighed, and began the process of instructing Ranma on the basics of the sword.

"Attack slow," she said.  Ranma lunged for her leg, and Eilistraee deflected with her blade.  "Attack…slow.  Attack…slow."  Two more times, Ranma lunged and was deflected.  "Better.  Again and faster this time."  Ranma lunged again, slightly faster than before.  He repeated it three times, moving slightly faster each time.  "Excellent.  You're a quick study, Ranma."

"Arigato, sensei."  Ranma bowed.  

Eilistraee returned the bow.  "Now for something a little more advanced.  The next exercise is called triangles.  As I deflect your blade, continue to try to get past my defenses."  Ranma nodded, understanding.  "Begin."  Ranma lunged.  With the light clanging of blades, he advanced towards the goddess, and worked his way through the exercise.  

Ranma began getting closer but stopped before his blade touched his teacher, much to Eilistraee's shock.  "Ranma," she asked, "why didn't you strike me?"

"Pops always told me never to hit a woman, that they're weaker than men."

A vein popped out on Eilistraee's forehead when he heard Ranma say that.  "Ranma, women are not necessarily weaker then men.  In fact sometimes it's quite the opposite.  The Drow are a matriarchal society."  Ranma had a confused look on his face.  "That means that men are second class citizens.  Their goddess, unfortunately my mother, despises anyone who would not worship her.  That includes any who worship me, and their allies."  Eilistraee smiled at her student.  "So I think you can understand when a child fights with their parent."

"Yeah, I get'cha.  So I guess that means I gotta hit ya, right?"  Eilistraee nodded.  "So what are we waiting for?"  Ranma resumed his stance, and waited for Eilistraee to attack.

As morning proceeded towards afternoon with the light clanging of swords striking, the master and student paused in their training for a few moments for refreshment. "Ranma," Eilistraee said, "I've never seen anyone master the sword that quickly."

Ranma paused in taking a drink of water. "Yeah, Pops always said I was a quick study. Although I don't know why he kept tossing me in that pit of cats."

*Father said something about the 'Catfist'. I'm going to have to look it up and see what it is.*  Eilistraee thought. "Your father had his reasons I'm sure," she said.  "I would like to teach you advanced elven sword techniques, but I would like to ask Father about that first."

"Sure, Eil-chan.  No problem.  So what are we going to do now?"

"The next step in your training is going to be to learn how to relax.  Elves learn to take life as we see it, not rushing hither and yon.  And because we are able to stop and smell the roses as it were, we gain a better perspective on the world around us."  She led her charge down the side of the hill that the training circle was on and sat down in the grass, morphing back to her adult form.  Ranma looked at her.  "Sit, relax Ranma.  The weight of the world is a heavy thing; finding a moment or two of relaxation can be a good thing to ease your mind."

Ranma thought for a moment, then sat down.  True to the Saotome line, Ranma started a losing fight with heavy eyelids and was asleep within a few minutes of sitting down.

Eilistraee smiled at the sleeping boy, and gently stroked his hair.  *He is cute, for a human.  Perhaps I'll rethink this arrangement.*

-----

Eilistraee knocked on the door to her father's study before entering.  "Father, can I ask you a question?"

Corellon looked up at his daughter.  Even though she had gone in to exile with the Drow voluntarily, he decided to let bygones be bygones and welcomed her to his realm without malice.  What his ex-wife did was something he would have expected her to pull.  "What can I do for you, daughter?"

"What do you know of the 'Catfist'?"

"Where did you hear about this?"

"From Ranma.  He mentioned it a few times today during training."

Corellon ha-hummed.  "I see.  The 'Catfist' is a human martial arts technique.  It is supposedly unbeatable, but there are several problems with it.  One involves the actual training, the others involve the student after the training.

"The student, between 5 and 10 years old, is covered in fish products and thrown into a pit of cats starved for a minimum of four days.  Repeat until the student learns the technique or dies from the trauma.  If the student manages to learn the technique, then the other two problems present themselves.  Either the student is trapped in a 'feral' state where he attacks anyone he perceives as a threat, or he manages to succeed out of the feral state, but develops an intense, irrational fear of cats."

"That's horrible," Eilistraee exclaimed.  "I doubt even Lolth would do such a thing.  What kind of person would do that to a child?"

"Someone looking for an easy way to for their student to become unbeatable.  Not exactly the most honorable means of training.  Speaking of training, how is Ranma doing with his?"

Eilistraee smiled.  "He's already grasped the basics of the sword.  He was hesitant at first both about taking up the sword and striking me.  I managed to convince him otherwise."

Corellon chuckled.  "Yes, his father does have some strange ideas about both training and etiquette."  Corellon picked up on his daughter's uneasiness about her student.  "Is there something troubling you, daughter?"

The drow goddess looked at her father.  "Father, if I do marry this human, and I'm only saying if, he's going to age and eventually die."

Corellon tried to keep from smirking.  His daughter, who initially reacted with shock to being engaged to Ranma, suddenly seemed to actually care about him.  All within a day.  "That has already been taken care of, my daughter.  But what else is bothering you?"

"I want to train him in elven sword techniques, but I don't know how the other gods would react to that."

"I have made Ranma my charge, daughter.  None of the other members of the pantheon would dare dispute what we train the boy.  Oh there's no doubt that they'll grumble about it like dwarves, but they'll not dispute my word."

Eilistraee smiled at her father.  "That's good to hear, father."  
-----

Four months later:

A sparring match was scheduled in the center courtyard.  Interested residents of Arvandor filled the galleries surrounding an open area just large enough for two sword-wielders. Chibi-Eilistraee walked into the arena amid polite applause.  She saluted the spectators with her sword.  Ranma walked out, also amid polite applause, although there were some disdainful looks from some of the haughtier elves.  Ranma bowed to the crowed, then bowed to Eilistraee.  Standing between them was Corellon.  "Best two out of three points for the win, one point per strike.  Begin!"

Both opponents saluted then moved into towards each other.  There were gasps from some of the elves when they saw the sword in Ranma's hands.  Human boy and chibi-elven goddess, student and master then clashed with a fury of sword strikes against each other's blade.  Attack met parry and counterattack, as master and student fought through each other's defenses, trying to get the first point in.

The two fighters backed off.  Eilistraee reassessed her student's skill level.  Her student had a cocky grin on his face, like a cat eyeballing the canary.  The goddess moved in and began a new series of attacks.  Ranma met his chibi-sensei's attacks, studying her moves then made his attack.  Beneath the clash of steel blades, there was the subtle sound of cloth tearing.

They backed off again.  Ranma looked at the seam of his shirt, then at his teacher.  Eilistraee smiled at him as Corellon awarded the first point to his daughter.  Ranma smirked back at her, then went into a new stance.  Eilistraee moved in warily, but on the offensive.

Blades flashed in the morning light.  Ranma backed off smiling, after Eilistraee's knee went through her trouser leg.  Corellon awarded the point to Ranma.  His sensei looked at her student and nodded.  The two combatants closed and clashed again.  Different offensive and defensive forms were used, some even created there on the spot.

Ranma backed off and saw that there was a new tear in the opposite seam of his tunic.  Eilistraee had this smug little smile on her face.  *Calm.  Gotta stay calm,* Ranma thought to himself.  *Eil-chan always told me never attack in anger.  And she's trying to get me mad.*  The student responded with his own smug smirk, and closed on his teacher.  Bastard sword and longsword clashed, as the combatants moved through the ring.  With the grace and finesse of a martial artist, Ranma disarmed his sensei.  There was dead silence as Eilistraee's sword skittered to a halt next to Corellon.  The Father of All Elves looked at his daughter, standing there, the point of Ranma's sword at her breast.  "I yield," Eilistraee said, quietly.  This was the first time that the warrior-trained goddess lost to a mortal.

Corellon looked at his daughter.  "Ranma Saotome wins by surrender," he said.  The elves watching the fight just sat there, stunned that a mere human boy was able to defeat one of their gods.  Not expecting applause for his feat, Ranma bowed first to chibi-Eilistraee then to Corellon before walking out of the arena.

Eilistraee morphed back into her normal size and left the arena after her young fiancé.  Her father intercepted her before she got near Ranma.  "Yes Father?"

"Ranma needs some time alone.  He's been training almost from the day he started walking.  He's used to either praise or insult when he learned something quickly or didn't learn it fast enough.  This is the first time that he's received apathy from someone watching him fight.  I should have realized that some elves may take exception to our training young Ranma in elven fighting tactics."

Eilistraee looked at her father.  "It doesn't matter what they think, Father.  Your will supercedes their racial intolerance.  You've always taught that it doesn't matter what a person looks like on the outside, but the character of the person on the inside is what matters.  I've been teaching Ranma for the past four months.  He's rude, crude, irreverent, uncultured, honorable, loyal, and tends to learn even the hardest techniques quickly.  In some ways he's worse than a dwarf, but in others he makes some of the most honorable elves look like petty thieves."

Corellon chuckled.  "It will be interesting to see how he turns out with a father like his raising him."  He looked at his daughter, and smiled.  "So it my daughter seems to have fallen for young Ranma."

"Father!  Ranma is my student, I *have* not fallen for him.  I just respect him as a fighter."

Corellon tried not to smirk.  "Of course, of course.  You do realize that tomorrow he goes to train with Solonor."

"Of course, Father.  I saw your contract with his father.  I realize that he'll need to learn the bow.  And Solonor is the best there is."

"Just like you're the best there is at the sword," the Father of All Elves said, placating his daughter.  "There'll still be time enough to be with Ranma before we return him."  Eilistraee gave her father a slight smile, just the faintest of smiles, but it spoke volumes to her father.  "Now go talk to Ranma and try to cheer him up."

-----

C&C welcome.  Flames will be used for dinner


	3. Master and Student meet again

Standard disclaimer:  Ranma ½ is from the mind of Rumiko Takahashi, and distributed in the US by Viz.  The elven gods and other visitors from Toril are all from the equally fertile minds of Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb as well as all the other writers who work for TSR.  That means I don't own any of them, and are just perverting them for my enjoyment as well as yours, I hope.  

This story is a continuance based on Elle ½, an omake by Greg Sharp (AKA Metroanime), based on an idea he found at   
  


That's done, now on with the story

-----

**The Wild Stallion and the Drow**

Chapter 2

Ranma sighed as he dusted himself off and prepared to reenter the Tendo house.  This day couldn't get any worse.  He'd rescued Nabiki from falling debris, courtesy of one of Ryouga's Shi Shi Hokodans.  So Akane got pissed and switched the engagement back to her sister.  It didn't help that fathers were saying it was all his fault, parroting Akane.  He was ignoring her, which was why he'd gotten a short ride via Air Akane.  "Stupid, built like a brick, uncute tomboy," he muttered as he walked back to the house.  His danger sense tingled, but the young martial artist was so deep in introspection that he missed it.

"Do you remember, Ranma?"

He blinked, and a cloaked form seemed to materialize out of the shadows.  "Who…?"

The cloaked form pulled down her hood, revealing a mane as white as snow and skin as ebon as coal.  Her yellow eyes held the hint of amusement in them.  "Be at peace, Saotome Ranma.  Do you remember the woods of mist and shadow?   Where you learned the bow and sword?"

Ranma looked at her pointed ears and a dim memory of cool woods and of laughter with a good friend, and the sadness and disappointment when he left.  "Um, yeah.  That was where…"

"You and I were engaged."  Eilistraee said softly, but her voice carried.

"Engaged?!"  Akane snapped the pair of chopsticks in her hands.

"Um, excuse me, but _what_ are you?"  Nabiki asked, as this girl didn't fit the standard Tokyo resident.

"Forgive my sudden lack of manners.  My name is Eilistraee, the Dark Maiden.  Patroness of good Drow; elven goddess of the dance, swordsmanship and…" Her voice trailed off for a moment.  "Are you challenging me?"

The youngest Tendo suddenly realized she was stalking towards them, but remembered that she had given Ranma to her sister, again.  "See if I care!  This is _your_ problem Nabiki."

"Hey, wait a minute!  This ain't my fault!"

"You have been treated as a prize, Ranma.  At first, I didn't think you were that much of a potential mate.  But there is a saying on this world that is very appropriate: 'Longing makes the heart grow fonder.'

"Even though it was the mere blink of an eye for me, I have missed you for these past twelve years.  Granted, our engagement was my father's deal with _your_ father to train you in our ways."

"GENMA!"  Soun raged at the now wet panda sitting at the table.

"You have seven fiancée's Ranma—all but two arranged by Genma," said the drow.  "You should consider your choices carefully."  
            "Seven," Ranma yelped.

"Seven?"  Soun began to get angrier, his battle aura beginning to manifest itself.

"Seven," repeated Nabiki, as she considered methods to profit from this.  Wait, rewind, replay.  "You're a goddess?"

"Hah," snorted Akane.

*crackle* *crinkle* *BOOM*

"Akane!  Your skin!  Your hair!  Your ears!"

Akane blinked.  "What about me?  Look at you, Nabiki!"

"Oh my; oh my, oh dear!"

"I do not I do not care for people calling me a liar.  This is just a helpful lesson.  When deal with a god or goddess, even if you disagree, you should be more polite."

Nabiki was looking at herself in a mirror.  "What the…"

Ranma just stood there, shaking his head.  He'd seen such displays of power before, as his memories of Arvandor slowly returned to him.

Eilistraee, purely out of courtesy, explained while looking at the Tendo girls.  "You are all elves now.  I *could* have made you all drow, but the drow get a poor reception in certain areas.  Therefore, one wood elf, one sea elf, and one winged elf; a nice matched set, don't you think?"

"K-K-Kasumi?"  Soun stared as his eldest experimentally flapped her wings and began flying around the yard.  He turned on the stranger.  "How dare you!"

"How dare I?  It is because I am a goddess of the drow that I did this.  But do not worry, it's temporary."  Eilistraee turned to her fiancé.  In a tone that brooked no argument, she said, "We are going on a date tomorrow.  Be ready at eight."

"Wait a minute!"  Said Akane the sea elf.  "He's my fiancé!"

"Only by a verbal agreement, whereas my father has a written agreement that includes a clause to negate all previous and future engagements."  Eilistraee pondered the two newly created elves.  "Now don't you think that this is better than starting some pointless martial arts battle?"  She smiled inwardly as she watched the third enthusiastically take to being a winged elf.

Akane stood; a green flush on her skin.  "Go ahead, see if I care!"  Eilistraee cocked an eyebrow.  "You want to go out with that kuronin tramp, Ranma?  Have a…Urk!"

"The 'blackskin' I'll admit to, Tendo Akane.  'Tramp' I do not."  Eilistraee's eyes narrowed, the yellow changing to lavender.  She stepped back, having just gotten in Akane's face.  "As I understand it, in this land it is customary to challenge those who besmirch your name in battle.  I therefore challenge you."

"Fine, we'll settle this now," said Akane.  She chose to ignore the little voices in her head saying that this wasn't Ranma's fault and this was a _really_ bad idea.  Not that she ever really listened to them anyway.  "'Goddess' my foot.  You're just another Amazon bimbo I'll bet."

With a flourish, Eilistraee threw back her cloak and drew her sword.  If Ryoga were around, he'd probably gotten a nosebleed from the drow's outfit.  "Fine then, shall we dance?  If I win, you shall retract your words."  She stood in an easy stance, one capable of moving from offense to defense with ease, the blade spinning slowly.  "And quite to the contrary, I am not a bimbo."

"Akane," Ranma said, "I wouldn't fight her if I were you."  He was promptly ignored by his erstwhile fiancée.

"Hah!  And when I win, you'll pack up and leave," Akane said confidently.  This girl wasn't even in a kendo or fencing stance.  This would be easy.

"B-b-b-but…"Soun began to look at the two girls ready to fight, and then up at where Kasumi was cleaning out the eaves of the house, her wings holding her airborne.

[I'm just a cute little panda.]  Genma-panda's sign said.  He flipped it around [Soun, should Akane win, let's get our children married tonight, then toast our children's marriage and uniting of the families.]

"Akane, Ranma's right.  You _might_ want to reconsider this fight."  Nabiki wasn't too sure that this girl was a megami.  But if she _was_, then this fight could be short and extremely one sided.

"Yaahhhhhh!"  Was Akane's answer as she rushed forward, ready to smash the goddess's face in.

Ranma had seen Eilistraee's stance before—was even taught it, though he hadn't really practiced it—and was ready to rush in between them and stop this.  She moved her blade with practiced ease, the wind keening a mournful dirge.

Eilistraee stopped her blade's spinning, quickly saluted, brought the tip of her longsword up, and thrust.  All very quick and _very_ precise.  All before Ranma could even react.

Time seemed stopped as Akane saw the blade plunge into her chest, felt the cold steel blade of it, felt the torn back of her gi as it was penetrated as well.  Everyone stared, as she stumbled to a halt, knowing full well she was dead.

Eilistraee withdrew the blade, and her opponent slumped to her knees.  "Well, Miss Tendo?"  Soun began started up with the waterworks, threatening to flood the yard.

Akane's hands went to the neat slice in the front of her gi, then checked the back.  Confirming the holes, she turned her attention to her unbroken flesh.  "What?  I'm not dead yet?"

"Would you rather I have killed you?  This is a far simpler thing.  Will you now retract your words?"  Eilistraee waited a moment for an answer, the tip of the sword grounded.

"What exactly did you do?"  Nabiki asked.

"I have taken her life," answered the drow.  "Unless I receive an apology or a suitable substitute, she will become my handmaiden in this world.  You don't seem to have any sort of elves and that's really not good.  Besides, part of the deal that Saotome Genma signed was for the establishment of a race of good-aligned drow here."

"Good?"  Akane lifted a tearful face up.  "You call _this_ good?"

"Child, you could have simply apologized.  My chief opponent would have eaten your liver after killing your loved ones in front of your very eyes."  Eilistraee let out a deep breath that sounded almost like a sigh.  "I do wish I could find a better handmaiden."

"I'll do it."  Nabiki probably had an ulterior motive, but since Akane was thinking with her pride instead of her brain, she'd never apologize.

Eilistraee considered it briefly.  "You're a bit more on the mercenary side than I'd prefer, but done."  Nabiki's skin darkened, her hair turned white, changing from a wood elf to drow.  Soun wailed that his daughter had turned into an oni.

"How many more, baka oyaji!"  Ranma was chasing his panda father around the yard.  With a sword…a particularly sharp and ancient elven longsword that he had started his training with, one that he'd drawn from a chi created subspace pocket, similar to Mousse's Hidden Weapons technique.  The Tendos eyes widened when they saw him with the sword.  Eilistraee merely smiled.

-----

Ranma sat in the quiet darkness of the Dojo, thinking about what Eilistraee had said.  The women that supposedly loved him had all treated him more as a prize than as a person or fiancé to love.  And the worst thing about it was they were all possessive.  Akane, Ucchan, Shampoo, Kodachi, Eilistraee, and even two more that he didn't even know about.  "Hello Eilistraee," he said quietly.

His elven fiancée emerged from the shadows and sat close to him.  "I never could sneak up on you, Ranma."

"Not since Fenmarel taught me how to extend my senses further than with just chi alone.  He still annoyed at the world?"  Ranma smiled at that remembrance.  His smiled faltered though.  "Is it true about what said earlier this evening?  That your father agreed to wed you to me?"

Eilistraee nodded.  "It is."

"Then I _am_ nothing more than a prize."  Ranma said.  "Damn panda selling me off for his needs and wants."

Eilistraee looked at her fiancé.  Just by reading his emotions, she could tell that Ranma was upset.  "Ranma," she said quietly, "you are _more_ than a prize.  Any one of these human suitors of yours should have been able to see it."  Eilistraee placed her hand on Ranma's face.  Despite the calluses from training with the sword, her skin was still as soft as it was when Ranma was five.  "Ranma, I am not some hormone-driven youngling afraid of my own emotions, despite that I am called the _Dark Maiden_.  Nor am I some 'uncute tomboy' with an attitude problem."

Ranma could feel his emotions running wild.  Akane didn't trust him, abused him, and called him a pervert.  Ukyo, he still considered a friend, as he did Shampoo.  Kodachi was just too freaky for words.  He didn't even know the other two.

"Ranma, you need to start making your own decisions.  Your father is not going to be around forever."

"You know, I hated when you used to say 'I told you so', in your roundabout way.  But you're correct.  Eil-chan, you do realize that I have a curse like oyaji?"

The drow nodded.  "I was always taught that it's not what matters on the outside, Ranma, but what is on the inside.  When you get hit with water, that doesn't change who you are on the inside.  Just like Ryoga.  When he gets hit with water, he's still the same person who wants to kill you."

"You know about Ryoga?"  Eilistraee nodded as Ranma stood.  "I will think about what you've said.  I gonna need to sleep on this."

Eilistraee nodded.  "I understand, Ranma.  Just remember that we do have a date tomorrow night.  And I mean to keep it."

-----

Morning broke over Tokyo as it normally did.  In Nerima, however, there were none of the usual morning battles.  For the residents of this fight-plagued ward, this could have been taken as a sign that Judgment Day was fast approaching.  At the Tendo Dojo, the elves Kasumi and Akane were waking up in their normal forms.  Outside in the yard, there were thunks of arrows hitting wood as Ranma practiced the bow, and remained utterly calm as he did it.  His target though was shivering from fear.  No one ever said Genma was a brave man, but having your son use you for a target was quite unnerving.  In fact, if Genma were in his regular form, there might have been a yellow stain on the front of his gi.  Well, there was that puddle underneath him, though.  [Do you have to use me as a target?]  The sign Genma-panda held asked.

"It's because of you, Oyaji, that I'm in this mess to begin with.  Besides, I need to sharpen my archery skills.  That's why you're standing there."  Ranma plucked an arrow from the ground, drew back and took aim at the apple sitting on his Panda father's head.  "Now hold still.  I'm sure you don't want me to miss."  He released the arrow, and it was quickly followed by three more.

Genma felt the juice of the apple drip on to his head and promptly passed out.  Four arrows had neatly pierced the apple, coring it.

-----

Breakfast was a subdued affair.  Kasumi had fixed her usual breakfast, but there was something missing, a joy that had been there yesterday.  Akane was still looking a little green under the collar as she ate her breakfast.  Nabiki looked like the black sheep in the family—literally.  Genma-panda had recovered from his near-death experience and was back to trying to steal his son's food, as usual.  Ranma was nonchalantly defeating the old fool's attempts.  The Tendos were trying to cope with the sudden changes with Nabiki and the revelations about one of their boarders' fiancées.

When the kids left for school Soun looked at his friend.  "Genma," he asked, "are there any other surprises I should be made aware of?  After all, my middle daughter now looks like an demon."  A sweat drop formed on the back of the fat panda's head.

Kasumi poured a kettle of hot water on her father's friend.  Genma looked at his old training partner.  "Soun, I don't believe that there will be any more surprises.  Tell you what Soun, as soon as Ranma and Akane get home from school, why not have them married?"

"An interesting idea, Genma.  I'll call the…" Soun paused as a dozen arrows whistled through the door, and embedded themselves into the table.  There was a note attached to one.  The head of the Tendo Clan retrieved the note.  "'Those who live in paper houses should be careful what they say.'  It appears, my friend, that someone else has other plans for your son."

"Bah.  That shouldn't have any bearing on our plans, Soun."  Genma looked around.  "We'll figure something out, my friend, to unite the clans.  We can figure out how over a game of shogi."

"A good idea, Saotome.  I'll go set up the board."  Soun said, implementing Tendo Anything Goes Shogi tactic #29- set the board up first so it's in your favor.

  
-----  
Furinkan High School  
Same time

"So the true depths of Tendo Nabiki have been revealed!  It is my duty as a noble samurai to remove this scourge from our school."  Three guesses who said that and the first two don't count.

Nabiki looked at Ranma.  "Ranma, do something.  And quickly."  Kuno drew his bokken and began to move relentlessly towards the new drow.  _You get me out of this, Saotome, and forget about your debt._

"Of course, I should have realized that the foul sorcerer would be with her.  Surely this must be some plot to despoil the sweet flower that is Tendo Akane."

"Kuno, leave Nabiki alone.  She's not a martial artist," Ranma growled.

"Very well then, sorcerer.  Have at thee!"  Kuno charged the pig-tailed martial artist.  Ranma flew back, weaving and dodging the wooden blade.  "Hold still knave, so that the Blue Thunder of Furinkan can hit you!"

"Now why would I want to do something idiotic like that," Ranma asked, as he weaved between the blows.  He then leapt up on to the school wall.  _Time to do something about this._  Smiling, Ranma reached into weaponspace and pulled out his own training sword.  "Now, let's see who the better swordsman is, Kuno."  Ranma's blade began to whirl, as he maneuvered the bundled lathes in such a way that it made an almost keening sound.  He jumped down and continued to warm up.

"So, the evil Saotome Ranma believes himself to be a noble samurai?  I shall end this fallacy right now.  I strike," Kuno shouted as he charged elven-trained martial artist.  Bokken met training sword with a series of clashes.  Both swordsmen moved back and forth, twisting and dodging.  For the spectators, it was like watching a ballet…a ballet of death.

Despite Nabiki's new appearance, the other students began clamoring for information—Why Ranma wasn't with Akane this morning; why Ranma was using a weapon for the first time and why is he so good with it.  "Kuno," Ranma shouted, while Nabiki looked on, "why don't you just admit that I am just better than you are?"

"Never, demon.  You are an abomination on the honor of this fine learning institution and the enslaver of my fierce tigress and my pig-tailed goddess.  For that, I will smite thee."  Ranma easily parried the insane kendoist's attacks.

"You couldn't before, Kuno, and you still can't."  With the ring of the first school bell, Ranma disarmed his opponent, and let Kuno run into the guard of the training sword.  The True Blunder proved once again just how fragile his glass jaw was as Ranma headed into class.  Nabiki pondered whether or not to drag Kuno to infirmary as usual.  She picked up the kendoist and dragged him to the infirmary to recover, adding the charge to his tab.  
-----

"Ms. Tendo, you are late," her teacher said.

"Hai, sensei.  I was bringing Kuno to the infirmary."

"That's right, you have a permanent exemption for that reason.  Very well then."  He adjusted his glasses, not noticing her changes.  "Now then, class…" and proceeded to drone on about the Meiji Restoration.  The class, of course, ignored their teacher and stared at the Drow in their presence.

-----

_To be continued._


	4. Nuts, Love, and Mom?

Standard disclaimer:  Ranma ½ is from the mind of Rumiko Takahashi, and distributed in the US by Viz.  The elven gods and other visitors from Toril are all from the equally fertile minds of Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb as well as all the other writers who work for TSR.  That means I don't own any of them, and are just perverting them for my enjoyment as well as yours, I hope.  

This story is based on Elle ½, an omake by Greg Sharp (AKA Metroanime), based on an idea he found at   
  


That's done, now on with the story

-----

**The Wild Stallion and the Drow**

Chapter 4

Nabiki looked up at her erstwhile protector, as he walked along the fence.  "Ranma," she asked, "is there something bothering you?"  He'd been busy that day, acting as her bodyguard from Kuno.  The mentally unstable kendoist had, at various points in the day, threatened both Nabiki and Ranma, but wound up spending more time in the nurse's office.

Ranma looked down at the drow priestess.  "Nothing, Nabiki.  Just got a lot on my mind, that's all."

"Oh.  Like what?"

"Like why the kami hate me.  Why I have seven fiancées floating around that five I know about.  Like why Pops thinks with his stomach, rather than his head.  Why there is so much chaos in my life."  Ranma smirked at his latest fiancée's handmaiden.  "And why a certain former information broker would charge her own brother-in-law."

"…"  Was Nabiki's only reply.  "Ranma, can I ask you another question?"

"You just did," the pig-tailed martial artist remarked.  "But I'll give you another one."

She glared at the martial artist above her.  "When did you become so experienced with a sword?  And what you were doing this morning with the bow was like something out of a _gaijin_ legend."

"It was like some sort of block was removed when I was talking to Eilistraee last night.  This morning, when Kuno went to attack you, and I drew my own training sword, it was like exactly what forms to use; when I was using Oyaji to hold my target, it was I _knew_ how to use the bow, and core the apple.  It's like I know the true Neko-ken and not the one that baka Oyaji taught me.  It's like I remember my time in Arvandor, and my training with Eilistraee, Solonor, Fenmarel and Bast."  Ranma's danger sense flared to life.  He dove off the fence and tackled Nabiki, as an insane kendoist charged past them.

"So, the foul Saotome cavorts with the black-hearted mercenary Tendo.  I, the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High, shall end your depredations on this ward, and liberate the fierce tigress that is Akane Tendo and the healthy, flame-haired pig-tailed goddess.

"I attack!"  Kuno charged towards Nabiki and Ranma, live steel in his hands.  The blade whispered bare millimeters from Ranma's head.  A few raven black hairs fluttered down.

"Nabiki!  Get out of here!"  Ranma shouted, as he shoved Nabiki towards the Dojo.  She stumbled, but then started running.  Ranma jumped back on to the fence.  "So be it then, Kuno.  You've attacked a noncombatant several times today.  It ends here, now."  Ranma reached into his weaponspace and drew out his sword.  Kuno looked on in anticipation as the pig-tailed martial artist unsheathed the longsword.  Elven runes highlighted the fuller, shoulder and crossguards.  With a resounding battlecry, Ranma leapt off the fence, and charged at Kuno.  

With the clash of steel against steel, European-style longsword met Japanese katana.  The forms used by both duelists were completely different—as different as their swords.  Kuno attacked as a traditional kendoist, rigid yet methodical with his forms.  Ranma, on the other hand, was trained with a strong Western influence but also incorporated his own unique style of Musabetsu Kakutou into his sword technique, making him look like a cross between Jackie Chan and Errol Flynn.  The pig-tailed martial artist would advance, attempt to strike, only to be blocked by Kuno, then leap over Kuno's counterstrike to withdraw.

"Hold still, foul demon, so that I may strike you with the all the vengeance of Heaven!"  Ranma's reply was uncharacteristic for the egotistical martial artist—there wasn't one.  The goddess-trained warrior was focusing all his talent into a skill that was last used ten years ago.

There are some residents of Nerima that believe Ranma is just a dumb jock.  However, the way the pig-tailed martial artist develops tactics and strategy for fighting tend to belie that idea.  _Can't get mad.  I'll lose my edge, and expose myself to Kuno's attack.  Eil-sensei taught me never to show emotion when fighting.  But one of the main tenants of Musabetsu Kakutou is to throw taunts and challenges to keep your opponent off balance.  Of course, if you taunt the same opponent time after time, then they are going to be familiar with that tactic.  So, I shouldn't use it.  Heh, Kuno's off-balance as it is since I'm using a sword.  Not taunting him'll be a piece of cake._

The fight moved down the street towards the Dojo, neither fighter yielding as rivers of sweat poured down their brow and backs.  The skirl of steel on steel echoing off the buildings sounded like a death knell.  Another constant of Nerima's residents was the grapevine that was set up when any of the insanely powerful martial artists that inhabited that particular ward got into a fight.  This allowed the residents and shop owners in the affected areas to batten down the hatches and evacuate; as was the case this fine day with Kuno and Ranma fighting each other with bare steel.

There was one notable exception—the most accurate of Nerima's martial artists: the dreaded Ladle Lady.  And, as she washed down her sidewalk, hit one of the combatants with a ladle full of water with uncanny accuracy.  And for once it wasn't one of the Nerima water magnets.

Kuno spat out a mouthful of water.  Ranma, who'd backed up when he had the chance, began at first to chortle, then to laugh out loud at Kuno's dousing.  _He used his foul magic to cause the old woman to hit me with a ladle full of water._  "For ensorcelling an innocent, I attack!"  With renewed vigor, a sopping wet Kuno charged again at Ranma.  "Once I have dealt with you, fair Nerima shall be free of your foul perversions.  And the fierce Akane Tendo, the fiery pig-tailed goddess, and the beautiful yet bubbly Amazon princess shall be free from your spells of bondage and shower me with all the affection that I deserve."

The pig-tailed martial artist had had enough.  As he defended himself against Kuno's attacks, he began to cool his ki.  Circling his opponent, Ranma let Kuno's rage filled hot ki help power the winds that were being generated.  Ranma smirked, and then released his potent, nonfatal, attack with a shout of "Hiryu Shouten Ha!"  The resulting cyclone carried the insane kendoist off to the northern coast of Hokkaido.  The elven-trained swordsman resheathed his longsword and trotted off towards the Dojo.

Above him, a spider with lavender eyes followed as quickly as it could scuttle.  Well, that is until it became lunch for a pigeon.  
-----

Deep within the bowels of the Abyss, strange creatures, driders—half drow and half spider—scuttled as quickly as their eight legs could carry them from a scrying chamber as a crystal decanter flew from the chamber, shattering on the cavern wall opposite.  An exquisite wine made with the blood of sacrificed virgins poured down the walls.  "So, my darling daughter is looking to create a safe haven for her followers.  And it seems my dear ex-husband has found a defender of the faith for her," Lolth grumbled as the scrying pool filled with static.

"I'll just have to interrupt them.  Permanently."  The Spider Queen began to laugh maniacally.  
-----

As Ranma leapt over the wall surrounding the Dojo, he found his newest fiancée and Soun showing Nabiki a series of beginner's katas with a bo staff.  Already the Japanese drow priestess had a sheen of perspiration soaking through her gi.  He was surprised to see Mr. Tendo actually teaching something.  "Good work, Nabiki.  We'll continue tomorrow," Soun said as he took the bo from his daughter.  Nabiki gratefully handed it over to her father and headed in to take a long hot soak.

"What brought this on," the pig-tailed martial artist asked his father's friend.

"Today, as Kuno attacked my daughter several times at the school, you were there to protect her.  For that, Ranma, I thank you.

"But Nabiki realized that you won't always be there to protect her.  And her mistress, Eilistraee, reinforced those thoughts be reminding her of the duties and responsibilities of her priesthood.  She also reminded her that the drow are fierce fighters, and their women are the leaders of the communities; although Eilistraee is leaning more toward an enlightened ideas that men are also capable in a leadership role."

"But it was when that boy Kuno attacked the two of you, which is what prompted her to learn the rudiments of the bo staff."  Eilistraee's soft yellow eyes turned lavender for a moment.  "If you would like, Ranma, I can do something about him.  Perhaps a gender-changing curse of his own?"

"Nah.  Kuno's a nutcase, but he's mostly harmless.  Besides, I sent him up to Hokkaido earlier.  He won't bother Nerima for awhile."

"Good.  Since you are already warmed up, Ranma, would you care to spar?"  Eilistraee asked, as she drew her broadsword from weaponspace.  The young warrior smiled.  It was refreshing for Ranma to be asked something he wanted to do, and not "Ranma take Shampoo on date?" or "Ranchan, why don't you try this new okonomyaki I just made."  He pulled out his own sword and held it in a classic guard position.  "Best two out of three?"  Eilistraee nodded.  "Then shall we dance?"

By mutual agreement, the two fencers clashed, filling the yard of the Dojo with the light skirl of blade hitting blade.  They tested each other, probing for any weakness in the other's defense.

Genma looked at his son fencing with his fiancée, a look of disgust on his face.  "Oh the shame," he wailed, "my son has disgraced our schools by using a weapon.  And he's fighting the weaker sex.  He truly has no honor."

Nabiki was on her way to the furo when she heard the clash of swords and headed to the veranda to see what was going when she heard Genma's complaints.  She slapped the lazy panda/man across the back of his head.  "Your son has shown himself to be more honorable than you ever believe yourself to be.  So quit harping on his lack of honor."

"But…"

"No 'Buts' Saotome.  Or I may have to do something…drastic, especially to remind you that women are not the weaker sex."  Nabiki's soft brown eyes, which hadn't changed when she became a drow, turned lavender, and a dagger appeared in her hand.  Sweating bullets, Genma entered his Crouch of the Wild Tiger, and began begging forgiveness from the priestess immediately.  Nabiki ignored him, put the dagger away, and made sure her yukata was closed before heading for the furo.

Eilistraee had scored the first hit on her fiancé, tearing the seam where his sleeve meets his shirt.  Ranma backed off and fingered the four inch long tear.  "Not bad."

"'Not bad'?  What do you mean by not bad?  I could have severed your arm if I hadn't been careful!"

Ranma just shrugged his shoulders and gave his fiancée his disarming smile.  "Shall we continue?"  He asked, as he brought his blade back up.  The drow goddess nodded and raised the tip of her sword up.  The two fencers clashed again, filling the yard with the ring of steel on steel.  Attack was met with parry and counterattack blocked by counter.

Amidst the din of the fight, the gate chimes were rung.  After a few moments, they were rung again, but lost in the din of combat.

Genma all but dove into the koi pond when he saw who walked around the corner of the house.

Ranma was so involved with trying to defeat Eilistraee, that all his attention was focused on the drow in front of him, so he wasn't aware of who walked in until he heard his mother's voice over the din of combat.  "Ranma?"  This caused the pig-tailed warrior to divert his attention right as Eilistraee was lunging.  Ranma brought his sword up to block, but wasn't in time to parry her attack.  He caught the tip of the sword in between his ribs and into his right lung.  There was a universal look of shock on everyone's face—but most noticeably on Nodoka's and Eilistraee's. 

With a questioning look in his eyes, Ranma slid off the end of his fiancée's bastard sword and slumped to the ground, pink froth coming from his mouth.


	5. The power of true love

Standard disclaimer:  Ranma ½ is from the mind of Rumiko Takahashi, and distributed in the US by Viz.  The elven gods and other visitors from Toril are all from the equally fertile minds of Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb as well as all the other writers who work for TSR.  That means I don't own any of them, and are just perverting them for my enjoyment as well as yours, I hope.  

This story is based on Elle ½, an omake by Greg Sharp (AKA Metroanime), based on an idea he found at   
  


That's done, now on with the story

-----

**The Wild Stallion and the Drow**

Ranma was so involved with trying to defeat Eilistraee, that all his attention was focused on the drow in front of him, so he wasn't aware of who walked in until he heard his mother's voice over the din of combat.  "Ranma?"  This caused the pig-tailed warrior to divert his attention right as Eilistraee was lunging.  Ranma brought his sword up to block, but wasn't in time to parry her attack.  He caught the tip of the sword in between his ribs and into his right lung.  There was a universal look of shock on everyone's face—but most noticeably on Nodoka's and Eilistraee's. 

With a questioning look in his eyes, Ranma slid off the end of his fiancée's bastard sword and slumped to the ground, pink froth coming from his mouth.  Time seemed to slow for everyone, as Ranma lay there, dying.  

Nabiki and Nodoka ran over to the fallen martial artist.  Eilistraee dropped her sword and picked up Ranma, cradling his body, while murmuring softly in Drow.  Nodoka looked at her dying son then at his dark fiancée.  Anger, shock and despair played across her face, as she sought for words.  Nabiki, keeping the knowledge of what her mistress was saying private, knelt by the dying boy.  She held her hand tentatively over the wound.  "Mistress Eilistraee?"  She asked, as hesitant as she felt.

Her question was, however, sufficient to jar her goddess.  "No, Nabiki.  This is beyond your skills, and even beyond my beloved's ability for self-healing," she said, as she placed her hand over his fatal wound.  As she started to speak the words of the healing spell that would bring Ranma back, there was a flash of light, as their auras came in contact and merged.  The frothy blood stopped trickling from Ranma's mouth, as the wounds began to heal and his breathing became stronger and more regular.

Ranma's eyes snapped open and he looked around, as though it was the first time he was seeing the world.  His mother, her face a mask of sorrow and relief; Nabiki, showing the relief that Ranma hadn't died; and Eilistraee, tears running down her face.  "Wha…what happened?"

"You were dead, my love," Eilistraee said quietly.  "You were distracted, and I had hoped that you would have been able to parry my attack.  I did not intend for what happened to happen."  She looked in his blue-gray eyes, and said something that would have shocked any of the gods that knew her.  "All I ask is for your forgiveness."

Ranma placed his hand over his black-skinned fiancée's.  "It was a training accident, that's all."  The pig-tailed martial artist has never been impulsive when it comes to showing affection, so when he leaned forward and kissed his goddess fiancée, there was a massive face fault from the families watching.  But to Ranma, it felt like the right thing to do.

Eilistraee resisted for a moment, until her supposedly suppressed hormones overruled her brain.  She closed her eyes and let her rigidly controlled body trust that the emotions she was both feeling and revealing, the ones she kept bottled up for the past twelve years, were not only the right ones but also reciprocated.  And by the way Ranma was kissing her; she really didn't have to worry about it.

Nodoka looked at her son and his betrothed, and a smile appeared on her face as she began to mentally count the number of grandchildren she hoped she would have to spoil.  Her smile turned to a frown as she looked at Genma, and saw just how nervous he was.  Especially since he kept darting glances at the silk-wrapped bundle on his wife's back, and hoped he wouldn't have to follow through with the seppuku contract.

Both Nabiki and Kasumi looked at the couple and wished nothing but the best for them, even though they were both harboring feelings for the pig-tailed martial artist.  But both older Tendo sisters knew that they wouldn't be able to handle the day-to-day chaos that marked Ranma's life if either of them had been engaged to him.

Akane…The heiress to the Tendo School of Musabetsu Kakutou was green with both envy and jealousy.  She had feelings for the pig-tailed boy, but the way that Kuno and the Horde o' Hentai treated her, she could never reveal her feelings, but at the same time felt that the aquatransexual was hers and hers alone no matter what his feelings were, as though he was one of Akane's stuffed animals.

Nabiki looked over at her little sister and suppressed a smirk.  _Serves the little princess of Furinkan High for treating Ranma as a prize to be one.  And when there's a prize, there is always a winner and a loser.  She lost big when Eilistraee arrived to claim him._

The two lovebirds finally broke their kiss.  "Ranma, are you going to introduce me to this person," Nodoka asked.

Ranma looked sheepishly at his mother.  "Sorry, Mom.  Mom, one of my other fiancées, Eilistraee, daughter of Corellon Larethian.  Eil-chan, my mom, Nodoka."

Eilistraee bowed to her fiancé's mother.  "My pleasure, Nodoka-san."

Nodoka tittered.  "Please, call me 'Auntie', Eil-chan.  What do you think of my son?  Is he manly enough for you?"

"Of course, Auntie."  Eilistraee looked at her blushing fiancé.  "Ranma is an exceptional warrior; no thanks to his father.  He mastered a number of very difficult training techniques at a young age and has begun incorporating them into his school's martial arts. I…" She flustered for a moment, before regaining her composure.  "I am and have been in love with your son since I met him.  And now I love him regardless of what form he is in; because he remains the same."

Nodoka squinted at the Drow goddess.  Genma began edging away from his wife, towards the gate.  "What do you mean 'regardless of what form he is in'?"

Ranma cleared his throat.  He really didn't want to die twice in one day, but… "Mom, what Eil-chan means is this."  Instead of explaining, he dove into the koi pond.  What went in as a raven-haired boy came out a fiery redhead.  "I turn into a girl whenever I get splashed…"

The solemn moment was interrupted by a particular pervert's cry of "SWEETO".  Ranma was bowled back by the assault of this particular pervert.  "Oh Ranma," Happosai cooed from his perch on his heir's bosom, "I don't know why you don't stay like this.  I could get used to just…erk."  The aged pervert Grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakutou was interrupted by the feel of the tip of a bastard sword in his privates.  He dropped his eyes, then following the sword up towards its owner, did not, for once, feel like fondling a new victim.

"Ranma," Eilistraee said, with all the authority of her position, "who is this…thing?"  Happosai twitched, doing interesting things to Ranma's bosom; which was not lost on his fiancée.

"It's just Happosai.  Unfortunately, he's the grandmaster of the School."  The redheaded martial artist sighed.  "He trained Pops and Mr. Tendo."

"Happosai, you will let go of my fiancé now, and never bother him again, lest you lose that which all men pride themselves of."

The old degenerate thought about it for a moment before letting go of Ranma.  "I'll get you yet, my young apprentice; you and your little fiancée too," Happosai cackled as he leapt over the Dojo walls, intent on reenergizing himself by terrorizing half the population of Tokyo.

The drow goddess tried to walk over to Ranma's mother to explain a number of things, but tripped over…something.  When she got up, she found herself with the adoration of two over-the-hill martial artists for doing something that they had never been able to do before—get rid of the Master.  "If you two call yourselves men," she said at the two fathers bowing and scraping at her feet, "then I can see why Mother is the way she is."  Eilistraee looked at her fiancée for a moment, then at Nodoka.  "If this is manly behavior, then your son is more of a man as a woman than his father is and ever was.

"Genma sold your son.  Not just to my father, but to the families of several other young women, all for food or martial arts training.  That…panda is worse than any slaver I have ever heard about; worse than my own species of elf, the drow.  They would sell just about anybody, but it's usually just once.  He has done it repeatedly, as has that degenerate.  Anyone who would do that does not deserve to be called a man."  With that, she spun on her heel and headed towards the house, but paused when she neared Kasumi.  

"Mistress of this house, I ask leave to use your home to bathe and clean myself after dealing with that…thing."  Sure, Eilistraee may be a goddess, but her honor demands permission to enter another's residence.

Kasumi being Kasumi, replied "Oh, certainly; our home is your home.  I believe Nabiki intends on establishing her chapel here.  The furo is down the hall and to the left."

Eilistraee bowed, her long silver-white hair cascading down.  "Thank you.  I also apologize for my actions the other night.  Your sister forced my hand with her actions…"

Kasumi interrupted, not something one does to a goddess, but it was a gentle interruption.  "Akane is a good girl, Eilistraee, although she tends to be a violent maniac."  She lowered her voice, in a conspiratorial manner, so as not to let the fathers hear.  "Personally, I think you and Ranma make a perfect couple.  He seems more relaxed around you than with any of his other fiancées.  With the others its like they want something from him.  But you're not that way."

"I…I thank you, House-mistress."

"Please, call me Kasumi.  And it's you I thank.  Ranma is like the brother I never had.  With you in love with him, and I think with him returning that love, it makes him seem more…human."  Eilistraee didn't know how to reply, and Kasumi just shushed her into the house for her bath.

*          *          *

Ranma smiled nervously at her mother.  Nodoka looked between the retreating form of Eilistraee, the two prostrate fathers, and her so…daughter.  "Ra…Ranma, is it true about what your father did?  And th…this curse of yours, is it permanent?"  She asked hesitantly.

"Um, yeah.  My best friend Ukyo thinks I'm her fiancé, because Pops went and stole her father's yattai, which was her dowry.  Shampoo thinks I'm her husband, thanks to Pop's stomach.  Ask the Old Gho…Cologne about it sometime.  I'm sure she'd love to fill in all the details.

"Then there was this one crazy chick, Kaori.  Real cute and all, but her father thought I was her fiancé because Pops sold me to him for a bowl of rice, fish and two pickles."  Nodoka was visibly twitching, as her hand was reaching around for her katana while her son turned daughter told her tale of woe.

"What about Eilistraee?"

"Pops sold me outright to her father, though for how much and what he did with the money, I'll never know.  But you want to know something, Mom, she hasn't tried to make me do anything against my wishes.  Except for yesterday, when she told me that we were going out on a date tonight.  Well…and accidentally killing me today.  And you know what Mom, I actually want to go out with her…"

Nodoka raised her hand up to halt her daughter.  "Do you love her?  Do you love any of your fiancées?"

Ranma squatted, balancing on the balls of her feet.  "Ukyo is way to much like my sister.  I love her, but like a brother loves his sister.  Marrying her would feel like incest.  Shampoo is way too perky for me, and marrying her would be mean a death sentence for me, since Amazon males aren't allowed to learn any of their advanced techniques, and are relegated to second-class citizens.  Akane—I loved her once, I think.  But this last time, she's lost any chance of reconciliation, especially since she transferred the engagement to Nabiki, because all I did was save her from one of Ryouga's special attacks.

"Eilistraee, though, is different,  She genuinely cares for me.  It's almost as if Pops giving me to Corellon for a year was one of the best things that damned panda ever did for me.

"And yes, I know who I love, and who I'm going to marry.  I've come to recognize True Love.  But before I say who it is, I'm going to take a bath, change genders, and see if Kasumi can fix my shirt."  With that, Ranma stood and headed into the house.

*          *          *

Eilistraee lay in the tub, letting the hot water soak away her muscle fatigue.  As she was lying there, she was humming a tune she'd heard on Toril—about an elf maiden who gave her love to a human.  It was a mistake for a warrior of her stature to get to relaxed—relaxed to the point where she didn't hear the outer door to the furo slide open.  Nor did she hear the rustling of clothes in the changing room.  The inner door slid open, and in walked Ranma.  The aquatransexual martial artist got quite an eyeful of his fiancée, dropped her bathing supplies, turned beet red, and screwed her eyes shut.

Eilistraee also got quite an eyeful of her fiancé's cursed form; enough to tell that Ranma was a natural redhead, before being covered.  "Ranma, why are your eyes closed?"  The drow goddess asked, amusement evident in her voice.

"I didn't see anything, honest."

"Ranma, am I so hideous to look at now?  It's not like you haven't seen me like this before.  Especially while we bathed in that secluded pool in Arvandor."

"Yeah, but I know the drill.  I look, you call me a pervert and proceed to beat me to within an inch of my life."

There was the splashing of water, and Ranma found herself with a pair of muscular arms wrapped around her.  "Ranma, I told you before that I'm not some youngling afraid of her emotions or the way she looks.  And I'm hoping that the kiss you gave me in the courtyard wasn't a fluke.

"You've been around your father for most of your life, and taught that women are weak and frilly; that they are beneath a manly man and that emotions should be kept hidden, bottled up."

As Eilistraee pointed out the problems with his upbringing, Ranma began to relax in her fiancée's arms and opened her eyes.  A smile graced the goddess's face, with the twinkle of amusement still evident in her eyes.  "You know, you're right.  I've only had Oyaji for a traveling companion for most of my life, so a lot of his ideas became my beliefs.  Starting tonight, no more passively listening to my father."

Eilistraee's smile got larger.  "Good.  Now how about we start by letting me wash your back?"

*          *          *

Akane was about to open the door to the furo, when she paused.  She swore she heard two voices coming from inside the bathroom.  _Ranma's in there, and I'll bet he's doing something perverted with that kuronin hussy.  With mallet in hand, Akane charged into the bathroom, intent on playing "Pound the Pervert"…and slipped on a conveniently placed bar of soap.  The mallet went flying out of her hand, and embedded itself in the tile floor._

To Akane, it seemed that time and distance lengthen as she slid along the floor with the bar of soap under her foot, her arms windmilling to keep her balance—until she hit the wall at the other end of the bathroom.  "Ooh, look at all the Tweety birds," she said before she passed out.

Eilistraee looked at Ranma.  "What was that all about," she asked.

Ranma looked back at his cute, undemanding fiancée.  "I have no idea."  And with that, Eilistraee snuggled her head on to the chest of her fiancé so that they could continue their mutual soak.


	6. Endings and New beginnings

Standard disclaimer: Ranma ½ is from the mind of Rumiko Takahashi, and distributed in the US by Viz.  The elven gods and other visitors from Toril are from the equally fertile minds of Ed Greenwood and Jeff Grubb, as well as all the other writers who work for TSR.  That means I don't own any of them, and are just perverting them for my enjoyment as well as yours, I hope.

This story is a continuance based on Elle ½, an omake by Greg Sharp (AKA Metroanime), based on an idea he found at: addventure.bast-enterprises.de

That's done, now on with the story.

-----

The sounds of the Tendo patriarch calling a family meeting resounded through the house.  "Kasumi!  Nabiki!  Akane!"  This was followed by "Nodoka, Genma, would you please join us.  It has something to do with your son."

At the dining table sat Ranma and Eilistraee, waiting patiently.  After the families settled themselves down, Ranma, ignoring the heated looks from Akane, simply stated: "Mom, earlier today you asked me which one of my fiancées I love.  And to be frank Mom, I love them all; but all but one as family."

Kasumi and Nabiki both smiled faintly.  They knew Ranma would never have chosen either of them.  To them, and to Ranma, they were family; and to Nabiki even more so, since her goddess was engaged to him.  

Akane's fury increased.  _How dare he pick another over me?  And it's going to be either that Amazon hussy, the crossdressing cook or that kuronin tramp.  What do they have that I don't?  Wait, he's probably under a spell cast by that black-skinned floozy.  Maybe if I train really, really hard I can defeat her and win back Ranma._  A more rational portion of her mind kicked in and reminded her of something.  _We lost the last time we challenged her.  That's why oneechan looks like Eilistraee—because we were to prideful to not back down.  Maybe next time, we won't be so lucky._  This line of rational thought was, unfortunately, squashed rather quickly.

"Mom, Pops, I'd like you to meet the future Mrs. Ranma Saotome," the pig-tailed boy said, gesturing to Eilistraee, who was blushing fiercely under her skin.

Soun immediately unleashed his Demon-Head attack.  "No! You must marry a Tendo!"

Genma leapt up and joined his friend.  "Yes boy!  You must marry a…"

"No more."  The steel in Ranma's voice was enough to still his father's usual argument.  Of course, it was also possible that the fact that the pigtailed martial artist had let his aura out.  "I have spent the past ten years listening to you berate me, insult me, tell me what I was going to do with my life.  And, quite recently, whom I was going to marry.

"Well, Genma, you engaged me to at least seven different women and Kami knows how many men you engaged my cursed form to.  Honor demands that I marry one of them, but to the losers, their own honor will be lost.  There is nothing that I can do about that.  _You_ can deal with the consequences of your irresponsible actions."  His voice softened, slightly, but there was still steel behind it.  "My heart has finally told me who to choose."

Nodoka had her patented "My son is so manly" look after her son's tirade.  Soun cleared his throat.  "If that is the way you feel, Ranma, then neither you nor your fiancée are welcome here."  There was a tone of finality in the Tendo patriarch's voice.

Ranma nodded and stood.  "If that's the way you feel, Tendo-san, then I'll abide by your request.  I'll go and pack my things."  As he walked out of the dining room, the pigtailed martial artist turned and faced his father's friend.  "Perhaps, if not in this generation, but in the next, that the families can be united."

"Well…that was anti-climatic," Nabiki muttered.

"It certainly was, child," Eilistraee said to her priestess.  "If you all will excuse me."  The Drow goddess stood and left as well.  Nabiki followed a few moments behind.

"Nabiki," her father called, "where are you going?"

"To my room.  I have a test to study for."

*          *          *

Ranma was busy packing up his rucksack, and raiding his father's stash of scrolls, when his official fiancée walked into the guest room.  "Stupid old fool, trying to control my life," he muttered, as he shoved one of his trademark outfits into his ruck. 

"I'm sorry that this happened, Ranma," Eilistraee said, as she knelt next to her fiancé.

The cocky, self-assured martial artist looked at her.  "It would have happened sooner or later.  If I chose one of the other girls, you, or your father, would have come after me."  He saw that she was about to interrupt and placed a finger on her mouth.  "It wouldn't have been you or Corellon physically chasing me, but a curse or geas, or something along those lines.  Heck, when you found out about my curse, you could have locked it.

"But I chose you.  Sure, you damn near killed me, but that's as much my fault as yours.  You were my first real friend, and taught me how to enjoy life."  He chuckled.  "You also awakened something that I thought was long dormant after Akane found out about my curse—my emotions."  Eilistraee pulled her fiancé into a hug and kissed him passionately.  

When they heard a throat being cleared, the two scooted apart, faster than could be seen by the human eye.  Nabiki was smirking slightly, the mercenary in her wondering how much she could get for pictures of that tender moment.  "My lady.  Ranma.  I have some information for you.  I think I've found a most suitable place."  Ranma started to reach into his pockets.  "It's free of charge, Ranma.

"There's an abandoned shrine outside of Okayama that the being offered by the surviving family of the shrine priest for an outrageous sum.  Forests, a lake, even a house on the property.  So far, no developers have come forward because of the hefty fee.  I think I can talk them down to a reasonable price."

"It sounds like it would be the perfect place.  Nabiki, arrange for transportation and lodging near the shrine.  I would like to inspect it first, before we start negotiations.  I assume you'll be coming with us?"

Nabiki looked at her goddess.  "How did…" She started, but realized that her own bag was on the floor.  She nodded.  "There's not much left for me here.  If I stay, the first day that Kuno gets back, he'll attack me—and I like my head right where it is.

"Besides, I'm tired of living in Akane's shadow; I'd rather go somewhere that's never heard of her."

"Understandable, Nabiki.  Ranma, do you have any problem with Nabiki coming with us?"

"Nah.  She'll be able to get us some better deals on stuff.  She may have been a racketeer at Furinkan, but she knows how to wheel and deal."

"You think so little of me, Ranma, that you still consider me a money-grubber at heart?"  There was a fire in Nabiki's brown eyes that promised pain to the pigtailed martial artist if he gave the wrong answer, consort or no to Eilistraee.  In Ranma's eyes, Nabiki was never one to cross, even before her transformation into a dark elf.

As he started to waffle, Eilistraee answered for him.  "Nabiki, I can understand you threatening Ranma's father.  He is, after all an idiot; there are orcs and ogres that are smarter than the man that fathered my love.

"But Ranma is still learning to not 'speak first and think later'.  And I think he's making admirable progress."  She leaned in towards her priestess and whispered.  "He'll need a lot of housebreaking, but he's still a keeper."  Both girls chuckled at the expense of Ranma.  "Nabiki, go ahead make those plans.  We're leaving tonight."

"Of course, my Lady."  Nabiki nodded to her goddess and headed downstairs to make arrangements.  
  
------

Eilistraee nodded her head in approval of the shrine.  It reminded her so much of Arvandor, that she began to feel homesick.  The real estate agent looked again at the trio.  He was suspicious of them when they walked into his office in Okayama, with what appeared to be two women of indeterminate age wearing cloaks with their hoods up, and a younger gentleman, but their eagerness to view the old shrine had placed yen signs in his eyes as he thought of the commission he was going to earn off of this sale.  The yen signs appeared again in his eyes when he saw the wistful expression in the goddess's eyes.  "If everything meets with your approval, the asking price was to be…"

Nabiki interrupted the agent after an almost imperceptible nod from the goddess, and entered her "negotiator mode".  "It does.  However, there are some problems I noticed.  The house is in a state of complete disrepair, as is the shrine office.  And what about the utilities?  And the local schools?" Nabiki led the agent off as they began haggling over the prices.

Ranma placed his arm around his fiancée.  "I guess we'll be moving in then?"  She nodded; the movement barely perceptible under her hood.  "Then this'll finally be the home I've been looking for.

Eilistraee leaned her head against her fiancé's shoulder.  "Anywhere you are, is home for me, beloved."

The pig-tailed martial artist smiled, although she couldn't see it.  "Good.  I just wish there wasn't that damn lake there."

"And I thought you were feeling comfortable with your curse, Ranma."

"I am, but just the fact that there's this potential for me to change…it's almost as if I can hear my curse longing to be activated.  Is there anything you can do about it?"

Eilistraee spun out of her fiancé's arms and took a look at his aura.  "I'm sorry, Ranma," she said, a sorrowful expression on her face, "but the magics that created this curse are stronger than what even I would be able to handle.  And I doubt either Father or the Mystra could break this curse of yours, short of granting you a wish."

Ranma's face clearly showed the disappointment he felt.  "I…see," he said slowly.  "I had to ask."

"I know," his fiancée replied.  "I'm just surprised that you didn't ask earlier."

"There were too many problems back in Nerima.  And if you cured me, then the others would be pestering you for a cure as well.  And besides, as much as I hate it, my girl-side has come in handy at times."

He was about to continue when she interrupted.  "Your concern is grateful, beloved, but hardly necessary.  Where I would try to cure your curse for free, the others I would require a quest to find some obscure thing for me, like the cup of that charming young carpenter from Nazareth that caught his blood as he died."

"I know you wouldn't want me to do anything, but I'd feel cheated if I couldn't earn the right to have been cured, Eil-chan.  It's just not in my blood to get a free power-up without earning it.  And I would want a task as difficult if not harder than theirs to win it."

Nabiki came up, preventing further private conversation.  "The original asking price was outrageous, but I managed to talk him down to something reasonable, with an extremely reasonable interest rate on the mortgage and minimal taxes."

"Thank you Nabiki.  Go ahead and finalize the arrangements."

"Hai, Sempai," the Japanese drow girl said, and walked back to the real estate agent.

------

Night fell on the shrine, and as Ranma was cleaning up after a light dinner of vegetables found in growing wild in the fields around the shrine, rice and instant ramen.  Candles and a propane lantern lit the shrine, since the local power authority hadn't restored service yet.  With no power, no water from the well dug under the house, so all the water came from the lake.

The pools of light the candles threw in the house allowed the moonlight to filter through the windows.  During this time, Eilistraee taught her newest priestess the role of her church, trying to bring enlightenment to the drow and reconciliation with the surface elves.

With the last of the dishes done, Nabiki plucking her harp in quiet meditation in the living room, and Ranma on the dock working on attuning himself to the Wa of the shrine, Eilistraee sat soaking in the furo, enjoying the hot water.  She sat up when she sensed a familiar casting of magic.

"So, little sister has finally found someone.  Congratulations."  An extremely sensual she-elf sat on the edge of the tub, smiling at the black sheep of the family.

"Thank you Hanali.  So how did you find out?"

The elven goddess of love and beauty smirked at her half-sister.  "Father knows all, sees all."  A silvery eyebrow arched up.  "Besides, he showed me the contract he signed with one Dark Horse Saotome."

Eilistraee glowered when she heard his name.  "Genma Saotome is a man that is just under Mother as people that have incurred my wrath."

Hanali grimaced.  "What did he do to incur that?"

"Besides selling Ranma to multiple families and engaging him to a violent maniac, not much.  Other than pissing me off."  Hanali flinched at the wrath she felt coming off her sister.  "Sister, I have a question to ask."

"What it is?"

"I was sparring with Ranma, when I accidentally injured him…"

Hanali interrupted.  "Almost killed him you mean.  Eilistraee, I've known you ever since Father forgave you.  I know how skilled you are with the sword; else you'd not be the Goddess of the Sword.  If you wanted to injure Ranma, you would have found away other than piercing his lung."

"How did you know about that?"

"That, my dear sister…is a secret."  The goddess of love smirked and her black-skinned sister splashed her.  The splashed areas highlighted some rather…interesting areas on the goddess.  "You want to know what happened before you tried to heal him, right?  And if I interfered."  Eilistraee nodded, and Hanali smiled.  "I did no such thing.  What you experienced the power of True Love.

"It is said amongst the goddesses of Love that the power of True Love is so strong that Death has a problem defeating it.  So you and Ranma will have a long a fruitful life together, unless either of you should suffer some fate…"

Eilistraee smiled.  "I know someone who'll be happy."

"Oh, who's that?"

"My mother-in-law.  She wants grandchildren to spoil."

Hanali chuckled seductively.  "And so does Father."

  
------


	7. The Zauvirs and The Saotomes

Standard Disclaimer:  I'm tired of disclaiming see previous chapters for disclaimer

Wards had yet to be cast around the newest, and so far Earth's only, Shrine of the Dark Maiden to prevent scrying.  This lack of preparedness allowed a certain scorned mother to look in on her defiant daughter.  "So, Eilistraee's founded her newest shrine.  And she's in residence there, too.  Ohohohohohohohohohoho!"  Lolth grinned at her good fortune.  "Now to task her and her goody two shoes defender of the faith."  The vengeful goddess of the Drow began laying plans to disrupt her renegade daughter's life.

  
------

Still sitting on the dock, listening to the haunting melody coming from Nabiki's harp (along with an occasional curse at a sour note), and aware of the nonbelligerent presence with his fiancée, Ranma continued his meditations (read: sleeping) blissfully unaware that another of Faerun's deities had taken an interest in him.  A pair of eyes surrounded by a blue-white eldritch fire watched the pigtailed martial artist.  *So much potential in this one; so much honor, and yet such sadness as well.*  The eyes faded into the night and back to their home plane of existence.

Stretching, he got up and walked into the house.  Nodding to Nabiki, he walked up the stairs, and into the changing room; he heard the two elven goddesses talking, but ignored them.  Stripping out of his clothes and laying them on the shelf, he gathered up his bathing supplies and walked into the bath.  Without batting an eye, Ranma said "Hi Hanali.  Haven't seen you in a few years."

The elven goddess of love and beauty ran her eyes up and down her half-sister's fiancé.  "My how you've grown, Ranma."  *Damn it,* she thought, *why couldn't Father engage me to him instead of Eilistraee.*  She cleared her head.  *Thoughts like that are unbecoming…*  Her train of thought was derailed when Ranma doused himself with cold water.

"Brr, that's cold.  I'll be happy when we get power and heat again."  Without hesitating, Ranma began washing her body and hair.

Hanali leaned over to Eilistraee.  "That's the curse you were talking about?"

Eilistraee snuck a quick look at her fiancée and smiled.  "He…She…"  She rolled her eyes trying to get the right pronoun, finally settling on: "Ranma thinks it a curse.  I think it's an advantage.  It gives my beloved the ability to see both sides of the coin."

Hanali smirked.  "Planning on dabbling in a little experimentation with both sides of that coin, sister?"

"That, dear sister, is a secret."  Eilistraee splashed her sister again.  "And none of your business."  

Ranma had sluiced off the soapy water, and with another bucketful from the catch basin filled with water from the lake, rinsed a second time before walking over to the furo, and sliding in, changing once again.  He slid over and wrapped his arms around his fiancée.  Eilistraee replied by kissing his cheek.  "So what are you and Hanali talking about?"

She snuggled deeper into his arms, suppressing a contented sigh.  "Life, the multiverse, you."  She gave Ranma on conspiratorial whisper.  "I think she's jealous that I've found someone, and she hasn't yet."

Hanali made a non-committal noise.  "Well, if you two are going to get all lovey-dovey, I'll take my leave."

"The door is always open, Hanali."  Ranma said, as his soon to be sister in law.  Hanali nodded, and disappeared.  "I think Hanali might be a bit jealous, my dear."

Eilistraee scoffed.  "Jealous of what?  The fact that Father engaged the two of us, and not you to her.  Hanali is an adult she-elf.  She can get over it."

Ranma nodded, and let his hands work some tension out of his fiancée's neck and shoulders.  Eilistraee purred in delight at his touch.  "So why are you so tense?"

"I don't know.  I felt another divine presence while I was talking with my sister."  She turned and smiled at her lover.  "Ranma, I think you may be attracting the attention of more gods than just my family."

"Great, just what I needed," his voice changed, as did his height in the tub, "more gods on my case."  The pigtailed redhead didn't even notice when the change occurred.

"Ranma, you have to remember, there's still my mother's side of the family that would like nothing better than to drag out your death over millennia.  Or resurrect you and kill you over and over now.  Now, let's see about getting you some hot water, and getting some sleep."

The gender-bending martial artist kissed her goddess of a fiancée before climbing out.  "Hai.  That sounds like a great idea.  I just with the water in the furo had managed to stay hot longer."

  
------

Ranma's eyes shot open, as he felt his danger sense began to sound mental alarm bells.  He quickly took stock of where he was.  *Ok, I'm lying on my bedroll, in our new home.  That comfortably warm weight on my arm is my only fiancée.  Its dark out, and the moon went down a few hours ago.  So, why do I feel like we're about to be…* His last thought was abruptly cut off as he heard the faintly muffled clink of adamantium armor and a guttural Drow curse that sounded like someone about to attack stubbing their toe.  He woke his fiancée, by nudging her, then placed his finger against his lips, shushing her.  "Someone's here," he whispered.  "And I don't think they're Jehovah's Witnesses."  The comment may not have been understood, but Eilistraee got the context.

"Drow raiding party.  Mom has apparently gotten involved now," the goddess whispered back.  "As far as I know, the drow didn't know where Earth was."  Ranma nodded, and retrieved his sword from hidden weapons space.  Eilistraee had already drawn her bastard sword.  "Nabiki has only been training for the past day with weapons, and her unarmed combat skills are rusty."

Ranma was already by the window. "Tell her to stay under cover, then," he said as he leapt out.

"Impetuous boy," she muttered, as she left their room.  Without so much as a preparatory knock, she opened the door to Nabiki's room.  "Stay here.  We're about to do battle, and I don't want you in the way."

"But my Lady," Nabiki started.

"No buts, young lady."  Already the two drow could hear the skirl of steel on steel.  "Close your eyes.  Quickly!"  The room, and night, filled with a deep blue light, as Ranma launched a Möko Takabisha.  The light faded, Eilistraee phased out of her priestess's room and joined the battle.

Ranma was in the midst of a battle for his life.  The Möko Takabisha he threw blinded his opponents, but the effects didn't last long enough to be useful.  Stances he had been taught while traveling with his father came back to him.  Some were successful, other's, like Bonetti's, almost cost the young martial artist his head.  The battle swirled around the pig-tailed boy, and he was having the time of his life.  He was letting some Amaguriken speeds into sword technique, and drow soldiers were dropping like flies.

A drow soldier was charging on the pigtailed boy, intent on impaling the interfering human on his spear when two arrows whizzed past Ranma and punched through the drow's adamantite armor.  Eilistraee's fiancé spun around when he heard an elven battle cry coming from the wood line, as a company sized formation—about a hundred or so elven warriors—advanced steadily under a rain of arrows.

The drow raiding party, reoriented on this new threat, and though their numbers had been reduced in their fights with Ranma and Eilistraee, charged towards their surface brethren with their own battle cry.  The two elven formations met with a clash of steel on steel.  Ranma winced at the imagined impact when the two companies of elves clashed, then watched as a plate mail clad warrior, mace smashing through the dark elven ranks, danced and weaved as he engaged in combat.

Bleeding from numerous small wounds that he'd barely blocked or dodged, Ranma rejoined the fight; the son of Genma not thinking of the consequences as he clashed with the drow.

Part of Eilistraee's consciousness noted her fiancé's lack of common sense and exceptional courage as he fought with a controlled recklessness that belied his name.  The Dark Maiden made a note to chastise her love, even as she engaged her mother's priestess that led the raiding party.  There were flashes of lightning as her sword impacted on the priestess's staff.  Both she-drow twisted and turned, locked in passionate combat, ignoring the battle around them.

The numbers the surface elves began to overwhelm the limited numbers of dark elves, as Eilistraee's bastard sword split her opponent's staff in two.  The dark energies contained within the staff erupted in a display of pyrotechnics that enveloped the drow priestess.  The drow goddess delivered the coup de grace against her opponent as her blade swung in a graceful arc, cleaving the priestess's head in two.

*          *            *

On the other side of the battle, Ranma found himself in one-on-one combat with the raiding party's swordmaster.  *This guy's definitely better than Kuno ever was,* the pigtailed martial artist thought.  The drow male sneered at his opponent, as Ranma was pushed to his limit and beyond.  The skirl of steel filled both opponents' ears as they fought a desperate battle.  The pigtailed warrior drove himself harder than he had before with any of his battles with any members of the Wrecking Crew, Herb or Saffron.  His muscle t-shirt was in tatters, showing off his muscular physique to all those present.  There were additional minor wounds that were oozing, the blood mingling with his sweat.  His defense was impeccable, but even the best defense has gaps in it.

"So, the pathetic surface dweller thinks he can outwit Nym Zauvir.  No surface dweller has ever outfought me."  The drow swordmaster said, as his scimitar clashed against Ranma's longsword.

"Yeah, well Ranma Saotome doesn't loose either.  I've fought the best martial artists Earth has to offer, and I've never lost against them."

"Impudent human.  Now you'll feel my wrath for your boasting."  Zauvir quickly changed his techniques, forcing Ranma back on the defensive.  The ground where the two warriors fought was wet with spilled blood and early morning dew.  Ranma's slippers were barely providing adequate traction as it was, so all it took was one slightly slick leaf hidden in the long grass.  Now add in soaked slippers and the best martial artist of his generation placing his foot wrong as he changed his stance to meet the drow weapons master's new assault.

Ranma hit the ground hard, knocking the wind from his lungs.  It was fortunate that he hit the ground when he did, because the drow's scimitar passed within micrometers of the pigtailed warrior's Adam's apple.  His confidence shaken by his brush with death, he fired off a severely weakened Möko Takabisha.

It was, however, just enough.  The blue ki blast hit the overconfident drow squarely in the chest, flinging Zauvir back…and on to the spear intended for Ranma earlier.  The wickedly barbed head punched through the weapons master of House Zauvir's armor slicing through his spine and vital organs.

Ranma wearily got up and staggered over to his dying opponent.  "I told ya once, and I'll tell ya again.  Ranma Saotome never loses.  And unlike Saffron, I doubt you'll be coming back from the dead.

"May the gods pity your soul, because your dark mistress won't," he said as he staggered off, his ki reserves dangerously depleted.

  
------

As dawn crept above the mountains surrounding the shrine, the surviving surface elves began building a funeral pyre to burn the dark elven dead, to prevent their corruption from tainting this new world.

An elderly seeming elf, his plate armor spattered with blood and the mace dangling at his side covered with gore, went among the dead and dying surface elves, administering last rites to those unfortunates on their way to an early arrival at Arvandor.  He paused in his prayers to talk to Eilistraee, as respectful as a mortal would be to a deity.

Ranma sat wearily on the front porch, letting his ki build up.  Nabiki was out also, tending to the wounded, although several elves shied away from the drow priestess, and several others were amazed at this drow female out in the dawn, suffering no ill effects in the early morning light.  The pigtailed martial artist was amazed that Nabiki was this alert after being woken up early by the din of combat.  Usually, it took an extremely strong cup of tea or coffee to wake the middle Tendo up.  He shook his head at the changes wrought in the former information broker of Furinkan High.  One of the elven warriors offered the pigtailed teen a mug of tea, which he graciously took.  

Even as he shipped his tea, Ranma kept his senses alert.  Yes he was exhausted, but on the same note, it wouldn't pay for his foes to sneak up on them.  This was one of those times that his training with Fenmarel paid off.  The god of the green elves taught the pigtailed martial artist that there are other ways to extend one's senses beyond ki and chi.  And his training would have put Genma's to shame if it wasn't for the fact that Ranma actually enjoyed his training, and took the time as well to question his master as to why he was doing something.  Unfortunately for Ranma, that ability, learned while under his fiancée's teaching, was sealed when his memories of Arvandor were sealed by Corellon.

Eilistraee sat down wearily next to her fiancé.  "I seem to be out of practice.   Used to be a time when I could hold my own all day, and long into the night."  She took a damp cloth from bucket full of bloody water, and began wiping down her fiancé's wounds.

Ranma chuckled slightly, even as he winced at his fiancée's ministrations.  "I feel the same way.  Pops would keep awake for three days straight sparring.  That swordsman was good; really good."

"Of course, you were better."

"No.  I was lucky.  I'm good, but I've got ten years of not touching a sword to make up for.  So who's the old elf?"

"His name's Bereth Moon, and he's one of Father's priests."

"From what I saw, he must have been adventuring most of his life.  He was damn good with that mace."

Eilistraee chuckled.  "He was a craftsman before he found both his calling and his wanderlust.  He came late to adventuring."  She watched the old priest move with a spry step that belied his age.  "Once the utilities are restored, Ranma, we need to go into town and register for school."  Her fiancé rolled his eyes at that.  "I'll not have my fiancé be an uneducated martial artist.  There is a saying on multiple planes of existence.  'Knowledge is power.'  And you won't have your father or the insanity that is Nerima to keep you from your studies."

"Ok, ok, I concede.  You're right, I do need to finish school.  Especially if I want to open up a Dojo here."  It was Eilistraee's time to roll her eyes.  "Think about it, love.  If there's a dojo here, and we instruct armed and unarmed fighting techniques, think of how many potential non-elves you would have for worshipers…"

"Excuse me, but can you tell me which way the Tendo Dojo is?"

Ranma's eyes went wide when he heard that familiar voice.  "How the hell did he get here…oh wait, its Ryouga.  He has that annoying tendency."

The lost boy turned around when he heard Ranma's voice.  "For what you've done to Akane, Ranma, prepare to die!"

------__


	8. Training

Standard Disclaimer:  Not mine; don't own any of the characters except those I create.

"For what you've done to Akane, Ranma, prepare to die!"

Around the front of the house, there were several elven warriors, a few walking wounded but mostly perfectly fine.  At Ryouga's pronouncement, the yard got very, very quiet.  Slender hands were placed on hilts; bows were restrung and tested.  "Uh, Ryouga, I wouldn't have made that particular announcement.  These elves are a little…what's that American phase again…ah, yes—trigger happy."

"I don't see any of Santa's little helpers around, Ranma," Ryouga scoffed.

"Of course not, because those 'elves' are actually Tinker Gnomes."

"Quit trying to sidetrack me, Ranma.  You left Akane to cavort with these other women, you cad."  Several of the female elves, some among the best archers in the Realms, felt the fanged boy had gone too far knocked and drew arrows.

His fatigue forgotten, Ranma grabbed the fanged boy by the front of his shirt.  "Ryouga, you don't know what happened.  Pop signed a contract with Eilistraee's father, which nullified all past and future marriage agreements.

"Besides, why should you care anyway?  Akane's free now."

"You made her cry," Ranma's nemesis said.  "She told me all about some black skinned wizardress that cast a spell on you to make—Urk!"

Eilistraee intervened at this point, shifting to her 9' tall incarnation, grabbed the fanged Lost Boy by his throat and hoisted him up.  Even his training in the Bakusai Tenketsu wasn't protection against an enraged goddess.  "Ms. Tendo challenged my honor and engagement to Ranma, and I defeated her.  She still breathes because her sister chose honor and family over selfishness.

"And without _any_ coercion on my part, Ranma chose his fiancée, which would destroy the honor of the other contenders.  As it was, I was the winner."

"But…he's…an…honor…less…cur," Ryouga managed to choke out.

"Who's honorless, P-chan?  I'd have to say you are, pretending to be Akane's pet pig, listening to her confidences and then attacking me after you found hot water.

"I waited three days, Ryouga, in an empty lot only a hundred meters between our houses.  3 _freaking_ days, Pig Boy.  And don't tell me that I ran away because I wasn't there on the fourth.  You didn't _have_ to follow me to China.  Hell, you didn't have to challenge me to an honor duel over some freaking bread."  Ryouga was turning various lovely shades of blue, purple, even tartan.  "Eil-chan let him go.  He's usually a good guy to spar with.  I don't want his death on my hands."

She nodded and dropped the lost boy.  Ryouga lay on the lawn, gasping for breath.  Eilistraee looked at the Jusenkyo-cursed boy lying at her feet.  "Formally challenge Ranma, to a no-holds barred duel, and be on time if you wish to appease your troubled honor.  Otherwise, if I see you on these grounds again you will not enjoy the consequences."

Ryouga nodded, still trying to get air into his abused lungs, before scrambling away, just hoping—no, praying to get lost.  The elves kept a silent eye on the lost boy, until he was off the shrine grounds.

"Great," Ranma muttered, sinking back down on to the front stoop.  "How many more lunatics from my past will I have to deal with?"

"I don't know, beloved.  But we need to get your skills back up to par.  I wouldn't want my husband killed by a wet behind the ears farm boy."

  
*          *          *

**Nerima**

"Great Grandmother, Ranma's no longer at the Tendo's," Xian Pu said, running into the Nekohanten.  "Nice Girl Kasumi said Ranma left Nerima the other night with Nabiki and another woman as well."

The three hundred year old matriarch of the Amazons frowned over her pot of ramen.  "This does not bode well, Granddaughter.  Did Kasumi say where they left to?"

"No Great Grandmother.  And Akane was there, as well.  She didn't offer up any additional information."

"I see.  What about the crossdresser?"

"Ukyo's wasn't open, but I did see her in her apartment upstairs."

"Hm, and what of the Kunos?"

"Great Grandmother, even the greatest of Amazon warriors would rather become a Musk concubine than enter that compound.  I did, however, have the fortune of running into Sasuke.  Although I did not mention why or who, he assured me that Stick Boy was on his way from Chitose alone, and Crazy Ribbon Girl was…entertaining, but not Airen."

"Then this does not bode well for our tribe, Great Granddaughter.  I'll have to contact the Council and have them send us our best tracker."

Shampoo shuddered.  "Surely they won't send Tigar?"

"I hope not, but she is our best tracker."

"Oh my," was Shampoo's answer.

"Soon Shampoo will be mine!  Thank you, Saotome for fleeing Nerima."  Which sounded more like a series of ecstatic quacks from the cursed Amazon male.

  
-----

Akane walked towards the gates of Furinkan with severe trepidation.  Both Ranma and Nabiki left the night before, so it took awhile before the rumors began to spread—that Nabiki and Ranma were actually a couple, and Ranma's engagement to Akane was a ruse; that Nabiki was pregnant with Ranma's lovechild; that Nabiki sold Ranma into slavery, as well as the reverse.  And without Nabiki's rumor control, each one began getting wilder and wilder.  Of course there was one other aspect that Ranma kept controlled, even if she didn't appreciate it.

And now, it was time.  Standing in front of the school, blocking Akane's path, was the Horde o' Hentai.  And standing smack in the center was Kuno.  "So, the rumors are true.  That the mighty Blue Thunder hath caused the evil sorcerer to flee fair Nerima, releasing the fierce tigress Akane Tendo from his evil spell.

"The challenge remains—On the day that Akane Tendo is beaten, will be the day she is dated."

Akane's battle aura sprung into being.  But it wasn't her normal, angry red aura.  It was a sickly green, as green as Ryouga's was when Akane told him that she hated him.  Bringing her hands forward, she shouted "Perfect _Shi Shi Hokodan_!"  Like a bowling ball hurled down an alley, the huge ball of depression ki flew down and impacted against the True Blunder and the Horde o' Hentai.  

Yuki and Sakura looked at what she did, as the heir to the Tendo School of Anything Goes collapsed on to the pavement.  "Oh…my."

  
-----

Kasumi sat at Nabiki's desk going over the books for the Dojo.  Already Genma had emptied not only the refrigerator of what ever leftovers were in there, but also the pantry, the storage closet, the root cellar, going as far as eating stale, year-old crackers left for the mice.  Both fathers emptied out the liquor cabinet.  And if they kept up their present habits, there might not be a roof over their heads for very long.  As much as she loved the only home she knew, Kasumi was a realist.  One or the other needed to start working.  Her resolved steeled, she headed downstairs for the shoji table.

"Father," she said, as she knelt, "we are coming to a financial situation.  We won't have enough money to pay taxes, utilities or buy food soon.  The Dojo must reopen."

"Reopen the Dojo?"  Soun said.  "Surely we can find a means to make ends meet."

"That would mean that we'll have to start charging Uncle Saotome and Grandfather Happosai rent, Father."

"But we can't do that.  They're guests."

Kasumi slapped her hand down on the board, scattering the black and white stones.  "Father, we are going to lose our home, if we do not find another source of income.  Mother's insurance settlement ran out years ago, and we were living on what Nabiki was able to bring in from…extracurricular activities."

"You mean she was a prostitute?"  Soun's eyes began to water up.

"No, she found money in other ways."  Kasumi kept it vague.  The vapid homemaker routine that she followed hid an iron will and cunning mind, much like her mother.  "And with out that source of income, we _will_ lose this piece of property, our home."

Genma burbled to life.  "I know, Soun.  We'll go and find my ungrateful boy and force him to wed Akane and have them reopen the Dojo.  It'll be Genma..."

"And Soun's…"

"Operation Get'em Hitched and Get the monkey off our back!"  The two fathers shouted, as they jumped up and into little victory jigs.

Kasumi rolled her eyes as she stood and left the dimwitted duo to their own devices, retreating into her own little realm—the kitchen.  She picked up the phone and made the first of two phone calls.  "Auntie Nodoka, it's Kasumi…I'm fine…I haven't heard from Ranma, Nabiki, or Eilistraee yet.  In fact I was going to call Nabiki next…I need a favor, though, Auntie.  With Nabiki gone, there's no longer any form of income, and the deficits are going to start piling up…I already made that suggestion, but the fathers are still in their own little world, where they think Akane and Ranma love each other…But we both know that Ranma loves Eilistraee…Oh, the favor, that's right.  I know you might find it distasteful, but I'd like 18 months back rent for your husband…He's done nothing but play shoji with Father, and pretend to work at Dr. Tofuu's office…No, Ranma was a minor, and he was almost always out saving Akane from herself…Oh, you're going to take Uncle home?  Thank you, thank you very much, Auntie.  That's going to help greatly…I'll see you soon.  Again, thank you so very much, Auntie."  Kasumi hung up.  It felt like there was a great weight lifted from her shoulders.  At least the Dojo would be safe for a few more months.

Picking up the receiver again, she called her sister's cell phone.  It didn't even ring, just went to her voicemail as though it was dead.  "Nabiki, it's Kasumi.  Father's not facing up to reality anymore.  He and Uncle Saotome continue to think Ranma will come around and marry Akane.

"Anyway, reason why I called is because I'm thinking of coming to visit, and I need to know where to go.  And don't worry.  I won't tell either father.

"Call me at home.  It's not like I go anywhere."  Kasumi hung up the receiver a second time, and busied herself with housework.

*          *          *

With a little bit of priestly magic, the scorched earth where the pyre was had been restored in time for the local utility company to come out and restore power and gas to the shrine.  NT&T also showed up, and after checking the lines, phone service was restored.

Doing a little further exploration of the property, Ranma discovered a decent sized training area, with a series of small posts at various heights at one end.  The pigtailed fighter immediately put it to use, working out his forms.  Bonetti shifted into MacPherson, which shifted into Montoya.  Elements of Shinkage-Ryu kenjutsu made themselves visible as Ranma took a modified two-handed stance on his sword.  The problems inherent with trying to use kenjutsu forms with a European longsword were the hilt was too short for a proper two-handed grip, and the weight and balance were off.  But it gave the best fighter of his generation and unrecognized grandmaster of Musabetsu Kakutou an incentive to adapt the traditional Japanese school to his elven blade.

On the other side of the forest-shrouded training ground, Nabiki was being taught the rudiments of the sword.  And losing.  Welts were appearing on her limbs where her instructor got through her defenses with his bokken, and they were becoming numerous.  Eilistraee sat to the side, watching her priestess in training.  She was having problems with even the simplest sword techniques, but it was also her first full day of formal training, and Soun had told the goddess that his middle daughter trained with a bo more than edged weapons while his wife was alive.  The drow goddess got a smile on her face.  She reached over and grabbed a quarterstaff from the weapons rack.  "Nabiki," she called, "try this!"  The goddess tossed the quarterstaff at her priestess.

Nabiki caught the staff with her free hand, as she tossed the bokken back to the goddess.  To get the feel for the two-inch thick staff, Nabiki went into a tenryu no kon kata, a beginner's bojutsu kata.  The drow priestess smiled as her muscles remembered the stances and moves appropriate to her weapon.  "It's a little heavier than a bo, but…let's see, shall we?" She nodded to her instructor, and they began again.  Bokken met quarterstaff and was blocked more effectively.  The silver-haired Japanese drow turned from defense to offense, and began forcing her instructor on to the defensive, and slipping through her defenses.  The kicker was when Nabiki swept her opponent's feet out from under her, causing the redheaded half-elf to land flat on her back, knocking the bokken free.

"Well fought, Nabiki," the redhead said.

"Thank you, Crystina.  You fought well also."  Nabiki helped the warrior up.

The half-elven daughter of a Solamnic Knight, who escaped to Toril, smiled at her foe.  "It was my pleasure.  You still will need to learn the sword though.  For now, though, go and get cleaned up.  We'll continue tomorrow."

"Hai, sensei," Nabiki said as she bowed to her instructor.

Eilistraee walked over to her fiancé, still going through is forms.  "I remember watching a little human boy hold that very sword just like that when he first picked it up."

"I think I remember something like that.  When you asked whether I knew how to use it, I think I told you 'Ya stick the pointy end into yer opponent.'"  They both chuckled at that memory.

"You seem to have come a long way from that brash young child, Ranma."  She sighed, slightly.  "I just wish Father hadn't put those blocks on your memory.

"I doubt it would have helped if he hadn't.  Your father seems to have this disgust against weapons users.  And he'd probably try to pawn off your sword, regardless of how many protective spells I place on it."

Ranma resheathed the elven relic.  "I know what you're saying, and I know Pops is, pretty much a despicable bastard, but he is my father."

Eilistraee bowed her head.  "You're right.  I probably…"

She was interrupted by a certain pigtailed martial artist wrapping his arms around her.  "Nah.  I probably wouldn't be surprised if he really wasn't my father.  Why don't we go get something to eat."

Eilistraee smiled into her fiancé's eyes.  "That sounds like perfectly good idea."  As they began walking down the shrine, the drow goddess looked at her fiancé.  "What was it you doing earlier?"

"You know how Musabetsu Kakutou is a school of improvisation, ne?  Well, I was working on adding Shinkage-ryu to my techniques…" As they walked down the steps from the training area to the house, the couple was deep in discussing various sword forms.

  
-------


	9. School Daze

Standard Disclaimer: Not mine; don't own any of the characters except those I create.

Deep in the Underdark, far from any prying surface dweller's eyes is the city of Ched Nasad, home of a number of middling significant drow Houses, a "conversation" was taking place, between the Matron Mother of House Zauvir and Lolth. "Your daughter failed. The raiding party was unable to even put down my renegade daughter's _human_ lover. I will allow you one last chance, then I fear that your seat on the ruling council will be in jeopardy."

"Then I will see that we don't fail again, my lady." The Matron Mother of House of Zauvir prostrated herself before the goddess, as Lolth's visage disappeared from the summoning chamber. She stood, and dusted her robes off. "Get me Faeryl!"

The eldest priestess arrived short moments after the summons. "Yes Matron Mother?"

"Faeryl, I need you to contact agents on the surface." Her eldest daughter's eyebrow shot up at that. "There are reasons for this…" As the matron explained how's and why's, Faeryl began to smile. To have a permanent blessing of the Spider-Queen on the house would make Zauvir one of the most powerful, if not _the_ most powerful Houses of the Drow.

The second youngest daughter, Maya, "happened" to overhear her mother's plans. _This does not bode well_, she thought, _for Eilistraee._ Nonchalantly, the secret priestess of the Dark Maiden strolled through the corridors of her home, away from the summoning chamber. She had to get to the surface, and find someone who would aid her.

-------

Morning broke over the former Shinto shrine as had done for generations. New faces and voices, however, were the shrine's new occupants, as elves maintained a vigilant patrol around the shrine grounds. But for one resident, there was a usual wakeup call. "Damnit Eilistraee! What'ya do that for? Uncute tomboy," Ranma-onna shouted at her, while her black-skinned fiancée smiled cutely at her, hiding the empty bucket behind her back. The redheaded martial artist wiped the water out of her eyes. "You're going to pay for that." Eilistraee dropped the bucket as Ranma charged at her, ducking under the training sword that the warrior goddess had out trying to stave off her fiancée's assault. But once Ranma was within her defenses, the pigtailed aquatransexual resorted to a tried and true tactic. She began tickling her.

"St…st…st…stop…it!" Eilistraee said between guffaws. She dropped the training sword, and began her own tickle attack. Both parties were so involved that neither noticed three elven-kind—Bereth, Crystina, and Nabiki—looking in, and chuckling at the spectacle of a goddess and her human lover, currently female, in a tickle fight.

"Oh, how the mighty have fallen," Bereth intoned. "I can imagine what Corellon would have to say about this." The two females laughed at the elder elf's seriousness.

"Hey Eil-chan?" Ranma stopped tickling her fiancée.

"Yes, _a'mael_?"

"I think it's time we got ready for the day."

"I think you're right." Eilistraee kissed the redhead's forehead. "I'll see you in the furo." She got up and grabbed her bathing supplies and change of clothes. "Bereth, please accompany me." The elder priest nodded and accompanied her.

"My Lady, you wish to speak with me?"

"Bereth, I assume my Father spoke with you at some point, which is why you are here, correct?"

"He did."

"Tell me about it, please."

"I maintain a small chapel and community in the Cormanthor. It was during my evening meditations, when your Father came to me in a vision, asking me to aid you in your establishment of a refuge for good-aligned Drow on this planet. He also told me to contact my old adventuring companions for their assistance, and that a military expedition from fabled Evermeet was on their way to my chapel. I sent messages out by way of carrier pigeon to those who I knew of their locations.

"The only one I received a reply from was from Crystina's father, stating that he would love the chance to go riding into battle one last time, but age and duties of his manor required that he stay at home. Crystina has proven herself a most capable warrior, trained in the Solamnic Code by her father and is, by all rights a Knight of the Rose, save for her gender and mixed parentage." Bereth smiled grimly. "It was a shame that she had to prove herself to the commander of the expedition from Evermeet. May Corellon guide and protect his spirit."

"Bereth, did Father give you any instructions regarding any drow found approaching the grounds?"

"Yes my Lady. Provide aid to any who appear on shrine grounds and offer nonviolence; be swift against any enemy who would offer violence. To follow your code, Lady."

"Very good. Be watchful, and be careful. This is a 'modern' society. There are things here that are just fancies and technological oddities on Toril. Lighting and heat without spells or flame, firearms that don't require reloading after one or two shots, horseless carriages and flying machines, and the ability to talk to someone over long distances, as if they were in the same room." With a wave of her hand, a map of the shrine grounds appeared. "We have free reign in this forest; the shrine abuts a governmental preserve that is lightly patrolled.

"I assume Crystina is to be in charge of the garrison?" Bereth nodded. "Have her keep the patrols no more than a day's fast hike. Aid any travelers lost or injured—have them brought here if the patrol leader deems it necessary. We're going to try to be as unassuming and nonthreatening to the government. Short bows, shortswords, and leather armor for both the troops from Evermeet and from Crystina's father. If either have a problem with it, they can take it up with me."

Bereth bowed gracefully. "I understand, and will so inform Crystina." The priest left to allow the goddess time to clean up and soak before the day actually began.

-------

"Ranma, Nabiki, remember, today is our first day of school," Eilistraee reminded them at the breakfast table. The kitchen was becoming more of a military dining facility at that moment, feeding close to two full companies of infantry and two squadrons of cavalry, in addition to the residents of the house. One of the things that the elves tasked with kitchen duty liked was the gas range, which meant no more open fires. "No fights if you can avoid it."

Ranma pursed his lips. "I guess there's no way to avoid it, is there?"

Eilistraee gave him a look. "No, there isn't. I know you don't have a penchant for school, but I told you yesterday that I'll not have my fiancé an uneducated boob." She turned to Nabiki. "If you can avoid it, I'd rather you not start any betting pools, information brokering, or blackmail. I will not have one of my priestesses involved in such things. It will not reflect well on my church. You have my permission to call me by my name. It would seem odd for you to refer to me as 'my Lady' or 'Mistress'." Both teens nodded, as they ate their meals. "And Ranma," Eilistraee said, looking at the way her fiancé was eating, "we are going to work on eating like a normal person, yes?"

"Why? Is there food on my face?"

"No, but you need to slow down as you eat. Your father is not here, stealing the food from your plate, Ranma."

"Hai," he replied. "I'll try." The answer didn't sound very convincing to Eilistraee's ears, and she gave her fiancé such a look. "Ok, ok. I'll make a good impression on everyone at the school."

"I'm glad you feel that way, Ranma-kun. The bus will be here very soon."

"Oh…joy," was the pigtailed martial artist's reply. "May fortune favor the foolish, then."

"Fortune only favors those who make their own luck, _a'mael_. I should know, since I know her personally."

"We have three new students joining us today from Tokyo." The three in question stood up. "Go ahead and introduce yourselves," the homeroom teacher prompted.

"Hi, I'm Ranma Saotome, heir to Musabetsu Kakutou Saotome Ryu." Much to the disgust of the boys in the class, the girls got all sparkly-eyed when they saw him.

"I'm Eilistraee Larethian," Eilistraee said, as she threw back the hood of her cloak. Much to the displeasure of the girls in the classroom, the boys all began to suffer nosebleeds when they saw her, even in just a schoolgirl's fuku. Eilistraee saw this and smiled. Imagine if they saw me in my usual clothes, she said to herself. "Sorry boys," she added, "but I'm engaged," and promptly latched on to Ranma's arm, causing his pigtail to stand straight out in nervous embarrassment.

Nabiki removed the hood of her cloak. "Nabiki Tendo," she said simply. The class gave her puzzled look, specifically since she gave a Japanese name, but look like Eilistraee. "No, Eilistraee and I are not sisters." She smiled coyly at the class. It was definitely going to be an interesting semester.

------

The trio of new students sat under a tree in the courtyard at lunch. Homeroom and a couple of other classes were the only classes that they spent together. Ranma was, as a result of his scores from Furinkan, stuck in remedial classes. And as a result, spent most of his time trying to stay awake. "God, I hate school," the pigtailed martial artist muttered, as he looked at his schedule. "It's like the only classes that aren't going to be boring are gym, history and homeroom."

"Well, _a'mael_," Eilistraee said, "it's not like you paid any attention to them at Furinkan." Nabiki nodded, but kept her own council. She'd had this discussion before with Akane in junior high.

"What do I need to know about physics or mathematics or even the English language?"

Eilistraee softly chuckled with her musical chuckle. "Ranma, you know how to shoot an arrow, and quite well too, but wouldn't you want to be able to be better at it? And English is, unfortunately, the common tongue when dealing with non-Japanese speakers. And I know you don't like free power-ups, so I won't help you with magic. But I will help you with your studies. And I want you to apply that impressive ability to learn to your studies."

Ranma finished his bento. "Alright, I'll do it. You want to spar before lunch ends?"

"Not today. There'll be plenty of opportunities later, _a'mael_. Besides, it wouldn't help to show off right away. Like next period."

"Oh yeah, we have gym together." Nabiki mouthed something that would have sounded like "Baka". Ranma stuck his tongue out at his fiancée's priestess.

"None of that, you two," Eilistraee said. "It's bad enough Ranma that you used to do that to your old fiancée. I won't have you do it to Nabiki."

Both teens nodded at the drow goddess, as the lunch bell rang. "I'll see ya after classes." The girls nodded, as the pigtailed defender of the Church of Eilistraee leapt to his classroom, to the surprise of his classmates.

Eilistraee looked at her fiancé and just shook her head. "I don't know what I'm going to do about him," she said.

"Either kill him or marry him," Nabiki said, jokingly as they walked through the doors to the school, like normal people.

"That's an option that I'm going to have to choose at some point. I doubt Father will let me get away with a multiyear engagement to Ranma."

The two drow walked into their classroom as Nabiki said, simply, "Talk to Bereth about it. I think even a go—you need someone other than your lover to talk to."

Eilistraee didn't let her priestess's almost slip go unnoticed, and planned to have a talk with her about it as she sat down at her desk. She appeared to be attentive to the physics class, but let part of her consciousness think on what Nabiki had said in jest and her reply. Corellon had been gracious enough to avoid the conversation of when she and Ranma were going to get married, but even a god may lose patience if there's any potential for procrastination.

------


	10. Chapter 9

AN: All references to the Knights of Solamnia are based off of the 2nd Edition AD&D _Dragonlance_ sourcebook and Tales of Krynn anthologies, that unfortunately I don't have with me at the moment. So that includes racial and gender bias, that I recall. After all I am in the big Sandbox in the Middle East.

* * *

The trio of teens walked up the path from the bus stop to the shrine. They were escorted, sight unseen, by a squad of infantry. Both Ranma and Eilistraee knew they were there, just by whispers of ki that they felt. Almost unconsciously, their hands slipped together, as they followed the path. Nabiki, a couple of meters behind them, smiled when she saw that gesture. To her, the pigtailed storm of Chaos that entered her life a year and a half ago was showing significant promise in growing up.

As they approached the house, there were the beginnings of a fortified wall going up. A tent city had sprung up, and was being formalized. All told, the Shrine was beginning to look almost like a fortified Roman camp. "Looks like they're getting ready for a siege," Ranma remarked. The house was getting its own additions.

"Or a war at the very least," Eilistraee commented back. "I wonder what prompted all this construction."

"Maybe it was the attack the other night?" Nabiki asked. "Perhaps Crystina doesn't want us to be ambushed like we were."

"Hail, and well met Lady Eilistraee, Lady Nabiki, Lord Ranma," the aforementioned almost-Solamnic Knight said, riding up. She nodded, having caught Nabiki's last statement. "She speaks the truth, milady. I would rather have palisades and towers at the very least around the house. While you were in town, we captured a few survivors from the raiding party the other night, so it seemed prudent to begin fortifications, in case your mother decided to stage another attack. And I don't know if we have the luxury of reinforcement from either my father or Evermeet, so I need to be able to protect our small force here."

Ranma nodded in assent. Already his mind, well trained in martial arts, was beginning to apply what he'd learned in history class to the defenses of the shrine. "I like it. 'The good fighters of old first put themselves beyond the possibility of defeat, and then waited for an opportunity of defeating the enemy,'" he quoted one of his favorite authors. "As long as we have adequate provisions to last a long siege, then we'll let your mother's forces defeat themselves." He looked around at the surrounding hills. "I assume you're going to place observation posts in the hills?"

"I had thought about it, Lord Ranma, but when fighting the drow, observation posts could prove to be a hindrance as well as a benefit. My father has almost three-score years of combat under his belt. He taught me well in the art of warfare. And I've noted that the high ground around is insufficient for channeling the drow."

"And if we have to fall back?"

"I have boats being built for that eventuality, m'Lord," Crystina replied. "There is the possibility of failure in any operation. That was another thing my father taught me."

Eilistraee nodded. "Very well, then. Lady Crystina, we shan't keep you any longer from your preparations." The trio headed into the house, leaving the half-elf to oversee the defenses of the shrine.

With their homework out of the way, Ranma, Eilistraee and Nabiki went their separate ways before dinner. Ranma was at the training grounds, sparring with Crystina. The two were battling with training swords, their bundled wooden lathes cracking against the other's. Training and work had stopped as the elves and humans watched Eilistraee's consort and the commander of the garrison spar.

Ranma was all over the place, utilizing his unrecognized status as Master of Musabetsu Kakutou, his skills far outshining his father's or even the Perverted Master. Crystina, for her part, had never faced such an unconventional warrior before. Leading the patrols around her father's manor outside Waterdeep, she'd fought brigands or the occasional orc or goblin band. Once, there was drow raid that had to be fought off, and that was as close to exceptionally trained as she came. But Crystina recognized that Ranma was an exceptional warrior, one worthy of being called a warrior, even though he was hiding his remorse at killing the other night. She'd seen it as well, when newly trained fighters made their first kill.

Ducking under the half-elven Knight's high slash, Ranma followed through with a leg sweep. Crystina went down, and, as the pigtailed fighter placed the tip of his training sword against her throat, she conceded. "Well fought, m'Lord," she said, accepting Ranma's offered hand.

He bowed to his opponent. "Well fought, Lady Crystina," he said. She had managed to score a couple of hits against him, but none that would have been killing or disabling. It was the best thing he could do, was to train with the various soldiers on the Shrine. The companies from Evermeet fought with tactics he was familiar with, and had been trained in by Eilistraee. The companies that Crystina brought with her all had similar skills, but each soldier fought his own particular way. So it was refreshing to the young pigtailed warrior that each sparring partner had their own variations on styles. At least, for him it wasn't P-chan's constant attacks, or Kuno's staid technique with a katana, or even Akane's lack of skill in anything, including trust.

Crystina smirked at her opponent. "Perhaps m'Lord would like to try his skill on horseback?"

Ranma looked sheepishly at the Knight. "Ah…that's okay. I, ah, never had much luck riding horses."

"Well then, m'Lord, we'll just have to get you used to riding first. After all, even the great samurai of this country were also skilled horsemen."

Ranma was about to refute, when his stomach made its presence known. "Ah…it must be dinner time." _Saved by the growl,_ he thought, as he headed back to the house.

Crystina smiled. "So, the Wild Horse is afraid of horses," she said mirthfully in Japanese.

* * *

Sitting in the old shrine office, Eilistraee was meditating on life. And as she was doing so, she allowed part of her consciousness to seep into the ground surrounding the shrine, creating the wards that would protect against scrying and sound the alarm in the event of an attack.

On a higher plane, more specifically in Toltiir's Well, part of Eilistraee's consciousness sent a message to Paladine, the Platinum Dragon and patron of the Solamnic Knights. It wasn't too long that an elderly wizard in mousy grey robes appeared. Eilistraee sipped from a mug of evermead, as the disguised deity walked over to her. "Hail and well met, Lord Paladine," she said.

"And to you, Lady Eilistraee," he replied, accepting a glass of Chianti from the Elder God of Chaos and bartender. "To what do I have the honor of the company of the Patroness of Good Drow this evening?"

"I have a favor to ask of you. There is currently in my service, the daughter of a Solamnic Knight…"

"Ah, yes; the Al'Ralgha girl. I've heard her father's prayers many times, wishing that she could be granted full knighthood." Paladine smiled into his wine. "I remember a story of a half-kender who tried to be a knight sometime after the Cataclysm. It was my desire that the Council allow any worthy of Knighthood, but I never explained it explicitly to them. Something I'll have to rectify. And let it be known that on this day, Lady Crystina Al'Ralgha has all the privileges, duties and responsibilities as a Knight of the Rose.

"Your father told me about the battle outside your new shrine the other day. He was most impressed in your consort's performance. Corellon said something about young Ranma living up to his expectations."

Eilistraee sipped her evermead, in quiet contemplation. "I thank you, Paladine. Your blessing on Crystina will be a relief on the young half-elfmaid. And on her father, as well."

"You're most welcome, Eilistraee. And I thank you for the glass of wine. I shall let her father know that his legacy is secure during his evening prayers." With a cloud of smoke, Paladine still sat there, coughing. "I should have known better than to try pyrotechnics and teleporting out of here." With a chuckle, and a smile on Eilistraee's face, the old mage walked out of the bar.

* * *

Nabiki sat in her room, her cell phone almost plastered to one ear. She was busy checking her messages, and listening to what her crew had to report at Furinkan. She was surprised by her sister's message, but she knew she shouldn't be. Ever since her mother died and her father slowly lost what students he had, Nabiki had been managing the Dojo's books. She'd taken the insurance settlement and placed it into stock and bonds, but with the collapse and devaluation of the yen during the mid-Nineties, what she'd set aside for comfortable maintenance was lost.

Forced to find other ways to make up the difference, Nabiki had been forced to resort to blackmail, loansharking and borderline child pornography to make ends meet. And when the Saotomes and their appetites showed up at their door eighteen months ago, Nabiki had to add Ranma to her list of acceptable customers.

And as they became more comfortable, with the exception of Akane, Nabiki almost realized that Ranma, a world-class martial artist, was allowing her to take the provocative photos of his girl side for Kuno and the rest of the Horde o' Hentai at Furinkan. But the formerly mercenary Tendo never really had the courage to ask her former potential brother-in-law about it, even when they were engaged.

Nabiki dialed her home, and prayed to Eilistraee that her older sister picked up. "_Moshe, moshe Tendo-ke_," Kasumi answered.

"Kasumi, it's me Nabiki."

"_Nabiki! How are you? Where are you?_" Kasumi exclaimed, quietly.

"We're fine. We've purchased an old Shinto shrine outside of Okayama that had fallen to ruin with the death of the priest."

"_Nabiki, I need to get out of here. Daddy and Uncle Panda are plotting to kidnap Ranma and bring him back and force him to marry Akane. They can't see reality for what it is._"

"Sounds like they're still caught up in their dreams of Ranma running the Dojo. I seriously have doubts that they'll be able to do what they want. We've…ah, we've got some friends here that are charged by Eilistraee's father to defend the Shrine."

"_Oh my. I hope everything is alright._" Nabiki smirked. She knew Kasumi wasn't a vapid airhead, but there were times she slipped back into that role.

"Everything's fine. I doubt Lady Eilistraee will have a problem with you coming down for a visit. I'll let you know what they say, ok?"

"_Thank you Nabiki. Don't worry. I'll make sure that Daddy and Uncle Baka Panda don't follow me. Ja!_" Kasumi hung up and Nabiki shuddered. "I'd better give Ranma and Eilistraee the heads up," she muttered, as tantalizing aromas filtered through the house from the kitchen. She headed downstairs, and towards the dining room. Elven and human cooks were busy preparing the evening meals. The smells of roast venison, roasting fowl and a fish stew filled every corner of the first floor of the house. Nabiki's stomach did an embarrassing impersonation of a Saotome's, by making it's presence known. The Japanese drow looked sheepishly around, before grabbing a plate and helping herself to dinner.

Ranma came in and also grabbed a plate and began piling it high with food. He settled down at the dining room table, and began to eat at a rapid, if restrained rate. Eilistraee came in, and settled down with her fiancé and priestess, also with a plate of food. "Ranma," she said, "I thought we were going to work on your table manners. Your panda of a father isn't here to steal your food."

"I know, Eil-chan. I'm slowing down," he replied with all sincerity. Eilistraee just rolled her eyes.

Nabiki looked at her plate. "Eilistraee, Ranma, I have some news from home. Kasumi would like to come down, probably to visit, more likely to get away from Nerima. Of course, the fathers are still stuck in their own little world, and may try to kidnap you, Ranma, and force you to marry Akane."

"Crap," was all that the pigtailed martial artist said.

"As long as the rest of the, what was it you called them? Ah, yes Wrecking Crew, aren't following, I have no problem with…" Eilistraee was interrupted by the wall of the house erupting into smoke and debris. A rather annoyed purple-haired Amazon was standing there, bonbori in hand. Behind her was an amused 3' goblin on a stick. "Can I help you," Eilistraee asked, patiently.

Shampoo advanced menacingly towards the table. "YOU OBSTACLE! YOU I KILL," she shouted. Several elves and humans in the house, getting dinner, dropped their plates and drew all sorts of sharp, pointy instruments of death.

"Ranma," the Drow goddess asked her fiancé, "what is it with you and lunatics?" Ranma gave his one, true love a sheepish grin, and a shrug of his shoulders.

The table exploded into a cloud of splinters, courtesy of one of the Chinese maces. "Hey! Pay attention to me!"

Eilistraee stood, and looked at the Amazon standing there. "Little girl, you dare to challenge me?"

"Ranma Shampoo's airen. You obstacle. You I kill."

"Shampoo," Ranma said, "don't do it. Eilistraee would just as soon kill you as make you an offer you can't refuse. You can't win this fight."

"Shampoo Amazon. Amazons don't fear death."

"Amazon, there was only one person who ever defeated me. And you're a few millennia too young to even try it." Shampoo's response was to try to take the Drow goddess's head off. Eilistraee evaded with a grace that Ranma usually showed. "If you want to try, Amazon, then let us take this outside. I'd rather not damage the house any more." Shampoo nodded, and left through the hole she made. Eilistraee followed, her bastard sword drawn.

Ranma walked over to Cologne. "Elder, try to talk some sense into your granddaughter. If she loses at the best, Eilistraee may take her soul. At the worst, you'll lose an heir."

"It's her fight, Son- Ranma. She is an Amazon warrior, and understands the risks."

"Would it matter if I said that Eilistraee is a goddess?"

"Then it would be an interesting fight to see."

"You don't realize that you're going to lose Shampoo, do you, Elder?" Cologne didn't say anything as the two fighters neared each other.

"Here are my conditions, child," Eilistraee said. "If you lose, then you renounce any claim to my fiancé. And through some fluke, if you should win, I will give up my claim to Ranma." Already, Eilistraee's blade was spinning, moaning dirge-like.

"She's that confident, that she'll win? Impressive. That stance she's in isn't a fencing stance."

"Cologne, she taught me the sword," Ranma said, as he adjusted his scabbard. "And she is a goddess."

"I don't detect anything out of the ordinary about her, Son- Ranma. Three hundred years of experience would tell me something about her. If she were a supernatural being, I'd be able to tell."

Ranma just shrugged, and prepared to have another handmaiden living at the Shrine. He watched as Shampoo pulled out a Chinese broadsword, and assume her stance. "Obstacle," she shouted again, "you die now." She charged Eilistraee, with no control, her emotions ruling her fighting style. For her part, Eilistraee blocked and parried the attacks made by the Amazon, letting Shampoo tire herself out. For the goddess, she wasn't taking the challenge seriously. But after all, she was the elven Goddess of the Sword, so what mortal could defeat her. But all it took was one moment, and Shampoo's sword caught a seam on Eilistraee's blouse, opening up a sleeve.

Eilistraee disengaged, and fingered the cut in her shirt. "Impressive child. Play time is over." It was Shampoo's turn to be on the defensive as the drow goddess pressed her attacks, forcing the Amazon back. Add a little sand kicked into the face of her challenger, and the tip of Eilistraee's blade penetrated right where the shoulder socket was, disabling Shampoo. It wasn't a fatal blow, but her dominant arm suffered severe muscle and nerve damage, that even with care from a competent cleric, it would never be the strong enough to do anything more than write or eat with it. The sword dropped from Shampoo's limp hand, and clattered on the ground.

Shampoo dropped to her knees and looked up at the drow goddess. "I renounce Airen," she said with tears in her eyes.

Eilistraee knelt down next to the Amazon warrior. "Child," she said, "I know what it is like to lose a loved one. I lost Ranma for twelve years." Showing that she was not a sore winner, the goddess placed her hands on the wound she gave Shampoo. Violence was met with violence, and now it was time to aid a former enemy. Chanting a prayer, she healed the wound she'd caused, reversing the damage. "I have talked with Ranma, and he would be glad to have you as a friend, Xian Pu. You realize that the Wild Horse needs to be free, not confined."

"I…I see that now."

Cologne pogo'd up to where the two former combatants were. She was…mildly (read extremely) impressed by the way that the wound was new skin, and her great granddaughter had full control over her injured arm. "Xian Pu, you lost your airen. Do you have anything to say about that?"

"Yes, Great Grandmother. Amazon laws are outdated. We need to change the way we are with the outside world."

"Elder…" Eilistraee started to say.

"Kuh Lon, child," Cologne replied. Eilistraee smirked at that.

"Elder Kuh Lon, may I walk and talk with you?"

"Of course, child. What would you like to talk about?"

"I overheard your conversation earlier with Ranma. He is quite correct, by the way." Eilistraee revealed just a fraction of the power that she was holding on within her. Cologne's eyes bugged out. "Like my fiancé, I don't like to reveal everything at once.

"And before you even think about trying to force me to join your tribe, to make you the most powerful in the world, that kind of thinking is exactly the same thing my mother's followers believe in. And I have been fighting my mother for millennia." Eilistraee's eyes grew hard. "Don't force me to put your tribe in that same category, Elder. I don't think you'd survive."

Cologne sweat dropped as she realized what she was thinking, and it was almost as if the dark goddess in front of her could read the Elder's thoughts. "Perhaps we can talk about an alliance, then? Something mutually beneficial to both of us?"

"I would appreciate that, Elder Cologne," Eilistraee said, leading the Amazon elder back into the house.

Shampoo knelt on ground, tears streaming down her face. She was crying, not that she'd admit it; after all she is an Amazon warrior. She'd lost, not just a fight or sparring match in the village, but her Amazon law husband—the reason for her leaving the village and coming to Japan. To return to the village now would mean dishonor and death. She'd already suffered the consequences for her first failure to bring Ranma back with her. Now losing him a second time, and to one he obviously loved. From what Kasumi had told her, it wouldn't have been so bad if it had been Akane or Ukyo, those two she'd gotten along with in a friendly sort of rivalry for Ranma's affections.

Ranma, for his part, couldn't stand the sight of Shampoo kneeling there, crying. The sight of a woman crying was his one fatal weakness, one he'd never admit to or defeat; it was something that was buried deep in his genetic makeup, and had nothing to do with his upbringing. He knelt down next to her, and pulled the lavender haired Amazon into a friendly embrace. "Shampoo, as much as a pain in the ass you've been for me, as much as if I married you it would be my death sentence, I've always thought of you as a friend." He smiled. "A perky, and bubbly friend, but a friend nonetheless."

"Is true?"

"Very true," he said.

Shampoo stood up, and hugged Ranma. It wasn't a glomp or anything overly romantic. It was just a friendly hug, like she would have given a fellow Amazon. "Shampoo glad I no lose your friendship."

After the Amazons were bedded down for the night, Eilistraee retired upstairs. Nabiki was down by the lake, in prayers, and Ranma was having a quick snack out of the leftovers. "Hello daughter," a familiar voice said from under a cloak.

Eilistraee spun around in the furo. "Father? What are you doing here?"

Corellon lowered the hood, and sat on a convenient stool. "I've been wondering why it's taking my daughter so long to marry her fiancé. So I thought I'd drop in and visit."

Ranma came running into the bathroom, sword in hand, at that moment. "Eil-chan, I thought I felt…" His voice trailed off when he saw the visitor. "Corellon-sama. Forgive my intrusion."

The Father of the Elves smiled. "No, Ranma, it is I who should be forgiving you and my daughter for the intrusion. I see you still carry the sword. I'm surprised that your father hadn't sold it yet."

Ranma chuckled. "He never knew I had it. Heck, I never knew I had it until Eilistraee showed up. Would you two like to be alone while you talk?" Corellon nodded. "I'll see you in bed, _a'mael_," the pigtailed warrior said, as he withdrew from the bathroom.

"So, Father, what did you want to talk about?"

"You've only been on this plane a few days, and already you've redeemed two lost souls, three if you count Ranma, created a haven for your drow worshippers, and ensured for the continued security of your shrine. I'm very impressed, Daughter."

"I very much doubt you came all this way just to praise me, Father," Eilistraee said, as she leaned against the wall of the tub.

"You're correct," Corellon answered with a stoicism that would make a Vulcan proud.

"So why are you here?"

"I'm here because I'd like to know when you and your fiancé are going to finally settle down and make me some grandchildren." He looked at his black sheep daughter, her face buried in the floor of the tub. "Ouch, that had to hurt."


	11. Intercalans

AN: Don't take this interlude too seriously, even though it does provide some background, it's meant to be humourous. By the way, there'll be a smattering of AMG and The Bet in here.

oooooooooooo

Corellon was in his office in Arvandor, glass of everquisst in hand, sitting in a large, overstuffed wingback chair. Labelas Enoreth sat across a small table, in the chair's twin. Between the two were two Cuban cigars sitting in a crystal ashtray. The office itself was, for the Father of All Elves, actually a retreat from Arvandor. Bookshelves lining three of the four walls groaned with the weight of the books and scrolls on them. The subject matter ranged from treatises on magic from long dead mages to the latest Tom Clancy and Dale Brown technothrillers. Recorded music from a human bard, Frank Sinatra, was playing in the background. "Corellon," Labelas asked, "I have to know why you chose that Saotome boy for Eilistraee. Surely there were elves more suitable than him."

Corellon gave the God of Longevity one of his rare smiles. "To be honest, Labelas, it was a poker bet I lost to Toltiir." He reached for his cigar, and inhaled, letting the fragrant smoke swirl around his mouth before exhaling. "It's a shame that one leader on Earth doesn't let his private stock out on the market. They are probably the best ever made, even among other Cuban cigars and premium non-Cuban labels." Labelas, having digesting what Corellon had said (before the cigar comment) had a repeat of his reaction 12 years ago. This time Corellon was ready, and the spit take stopped a good meter from the elder god. It, unfortunately, extinguished Labelas's cigar.

"What do you mean it was a poker bet that you lost?" He asked, as he relit his cigar.

"It was just after Toltiir closed down the Bet, when he decided to host a poker night once a week at the Well. I never thought Urd would be such a poor loser, but she'd always give it her best shot, and usually turn the game into strip poker once she lost all her chips.

"Anyway, the fateful match was down to just Toltiir and I. I placed my bet, an IOU in the pot since I had just run out of chips with the last raise. He raised his entire stack of chips. And I rue that day. I had the once in a lifetime hand—a spades Royal Flush—and I folded to a pair of deuces. A piece of advice, Labelas, never play poker with Toltiir, especially when he's a cat. He's got the best poker face around.

"His requirement to fulfill the IOU was to take Ranma and train him to be better the best human fighter of all time, as well as teach him nobility and manners. I was allowed to look into the boy's future, and saw a young man of great sense of self-honor and nobility crushed by a spoiled brat of a tomboy, to the point of cleansing his honor with ritual suicide. I looked into the other possibilities with his other fiancées, and saw similar fates—Ranma's death, either by suicide, depression, or accident. Fascinating people, these Japanese. They take honor so seriously, that they find suicide as a means to cleanse tarnished honor. I've only seen one other set of humans take honor to that extreme, and they happen to be in Kara-tur. But, I digress.

"Eilistraee would have had a similar fate, but at the hands of her mother, if I didn't introduce Ranma. He is Chaos Incarnate, and look at what he's done in such a short amount of time. He's taught her to smile and laugh; not to take life as seriously as she used to."

"Ah, I see. Corellon, just a piece of advice." The elven deity raised an eyebrow. "Quit playing poker. I don't think it's such a good hobby."

The Norn of the Past stuck her head into Corellon's office. "Corellon, are you coming to bed soon."

"In a little bit, Urd-chan," Corellon said.

Labelas looked over at the door, and saw the Norn of the Past wearing a diaphanous gown that left nothing to the imagination. The sweat drop on the God of Longevity would have filled an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

As Urd left, Corellon smirked. "She lost another hand of poker, and guess what her IOU was?"

oooooooooooo

Eilistraee sat at the dinner table, looking over the list of wedding guests. This wedding was going to be a headache of biblical proportions. In fact, she had a headache that large, as evidenced by the half empty King Kong-sized bottle of Excedrin sitting next to her. The problem that was bothering her was her mother and father. Lolth and Corellon were so diametrically opposite to the other that they'd try to kill each other. The only way that they'd even be civil to each other is if there was a divine security force enforcing the neutrality of the wedding. "Looks like I'll be calling the Valkyries in for this," she muttered. "But they'll both want to kill me if I only invite the other."

Ranma came in and set a mug of Kasumi's tea on the table next to his fiancée. "Problems, _a'mael_?"

"You have no idea, anata," she replied, placing her head on the table. "This makes that movie we went to go see look like a walk in the park."

"Oh, yeah, _Meet the Parents_. I remember meeting your father. It's just that I think your mother wants us both dead. And I haven't met her yet." Eilistraee took a sip of tea. "And the only to appease both sides would be to invite them both?" She nodded. "Oh boy, this is something we can't ask 'Dear Abby' about. Well then, when we send out the wedding invitations we'll add a note declaring a truce for the wedding."

"I think that'll work. At least I hope that'll work. Of course, we can always invite the Valkyries to be ushers. They'll ensure that everyone behaves."

"That'll definitely work, then." Ranma looked over the list. "Are you sure you want to invite my old man? Oyaji'll probably try to kidnap me right then and there. Valkyries, deities, archmages or not. Besides, that fat bastard wasn't the best father I ever had."

"Okay, he's off the list." A red line suddenly appeared across Genma's name. "What about Herb, Kieran, Saffron, Kiima, Tarou, and the Amazons? They've all tried to kill or kidnap you at some point in time. And from what you told me, Herb locked your curse for awhile."

"Yeah, but I tend to consider my rivals the closest thing to friends that I have, and there'll be enough divine and magical firepower to keep things calm. And besides, it'll help cement our alliance with the Amazons. Anyone else that might cause a problem?"

Eilistraee looked at the list again. "Well, there's Elminster, but he can keep himself out of trouble, especially with Mystra there. Fizban might cause a problem, he's older than Elminster, and I swear he's suffering from either senility or Alzheimer's. But with the Valkyries present, I think everyone'll behave."

"I think we have another problem."

"What's that?"

"Well, who's going to officiate?"

"I was thinking Bereth."

"Yeah, but he's a priest of your father, right?" Ranma's fiancée nodded. "And who's going to be seated in the front row? Your father. And Nabiki can't marry us, since you're a critical part of the ceremony."

"Frak, you're right. So who should we get?"

"Maybe Amaterasu or Bast. And if we don't get the other, we should at least invite them. That'll cover our bases there, especially if Amaterasu won't officiate."

"Good point. I'll ask both, or maybe we could just get Thoth, and invite the other two."

"Works for me," Ranma replied.

oooooooooooo

With the guest list finalized, invitations began arriving at the various keeps, wizard towers, heavens and/or hells. Corellon smiled when he opened his, and the smile turned into a smirk when he saw the note stating that there will be no fighting in any way, shape or form, that the wedding is neutral ground for 72 Earth hours, and time traveling or stopping magics will be automatic grounds for ejection.

In the Abyss, Lolth growled at her frustration, when her invitation arrived. A truce was called, and there was nothing the drow goddess could do to get at her wayward daughter and her defender of the faith and consort for the wedding. _Ah well,_ she thought, _I should make the best of it. After all, my fight with Eilistraee does follow my philosophy. One day of guarded peace would be a helpful thing. And I can always see what kind of mischief I can get into there anyway._ The denizens of Lolth's realm were treated to a rare sound—the Spider Queen's laughter. A few checked to see if it was snowing.

Elminster of Shadowdale checked his calendar, and made sure that this was going to be one wedding he wasn't going to miss.

oooooooooooo

As the day of the wedding approached, the first to arrive were the Valkyries. With Crystina, they scouted out the terrain, looked for the best points to set up their perimeter, and generally provide usher service to the arriving guests. The Shrine's contingent of regular soldiers polished their armor and weapons, and readied themselves to deal with the "regular" guests; those without any sort of magical or divine firepower at their commands.

Time flew for the couple with all their preparations, and suddenly it was the day of the wedding, and Ranma awoke to such a hangover that he couldn't remember what day of the week it was. His bachelor party had been hosted by his soon to be father in law, and thankfully hadn't turned into the drunken debauchery that Bacchus would have had, although it was close. Very close. Elminster had gated in several worshippers of Eilistraee from Neverwinter, which included several comely, and _very_ flexible, drow and elven lasses. Mixing sake, evermead, everquisst, morimatra, beer, wine, and what ever other alcohol was on hand was not good for one's constitution check. He peeled an eyelid open, and immediately closed it, as the evil sun blinded him. He tried again, this time successfully, and looked around. The living room floor was strewn with bodies, divine and mortal. Corellon, nursing his own hangover, sat at the kitchen counter, jumbo truck stop-sized mug of coffee in hand.

Running his hand across his face and closed eyes, the pigtailed martial artist staggered over to the kitchen counter, and poured himself a cup of tea. "Would you like anything to eat, Ranma-kun," Kasumi asked. Ranma had to chuckle quietly to himself. Unflappable Kasumi regarded the scene before her as if it were almost commonplace. Well for a former resident of the Tendo Dojo, besides the numbers and differing types of power in the living room, it was. All that was missing was a panda passed out on the floor.

For once the bottomless Saotome stomach remained quiet at the prospect of being fed. "No, thank you, Kasumi." He looked at the bodies again. Elminster was snoring away, a drow and elfmaid on either side with their arms wrapped around him. "Just how bad were we last night?" He looked around again, and saw Hiroshi with his arms wrapped around Hanali; both in drunken slumber. Daisuke was also passed out, snuggled up to another drow maiden from Neverwinter. The pigtailed groom chuckled, as much as his hangover would allow, at the sight of one of his best, if perverted, friends sleeping with the elven goddess of love. "Maybe they'll all have a future together," he said _sotto voce_. He'd find it amusing if Hanali and Hiroshi did become an "item" down the road.

"No worse than Father and Uncle Saotome getting hammered, and toasting their latest crackpot scheme to get you and Akane together again."

"Good. At least we didn't disturb any of the other guests, or Eilistraee. I'm going to take a long soak in the furo." Kasumi nodded, and Corellon toasted his son in law with his mug of coffee. The pigtailed groom stopped in his room to grab his bathing supplies, before heading to the bathroom.

The occupied sign was missing, so he walked in…and immediately walked back out, when he saw his mother-in-law lounging in the tub. "Ranma," Lolth purred, "it's alright if you come in. Would you like me to wash your back?" What better way to get back at her daughter, than by seducing her son-in-law on his wedding day.

"Ah…ano…That's quite alright, Lolth-sama. I'll just wait until you're done." Ranma said, before heading towards the bedroom. The hollow thump of a head hitting a wall could be heard through out the house, as Ranma tried to banish the image of Lolth lounging in the tub, in naught but her birthday suit. _Well, at least I know where Eil-chan gets her good looks from_, he thought.

_Damn his conservative nature,_ Lolth thought. _I'll have to find some other way then, especially since open warfare is out right now._ She chuckled evilly to herself.

Ranma stood at the altar, wiping his hands on pants of his hakama. The groom-to-be was wearing a traditional wedding hakama, the Saotome family crest embroidered over his heart. Instead of a pair of katanas that would have denoted his samurai heritage, he wore his longsword buckled on his waist. His pigtail was secured with a silk bow, instead of the expired dragon's whisker. He looked nervous, and felt ready to flee for his life. It probably didn't help Ranma's nerves any that on more than half of the folding chairs were beings of such immense power that if a divine war broke out, Earth would be turned to ashes. He was thankful that Eil-chan had gotten the Valkyries to police the deities here, even though there was only one goddess that they were worried about. Crystina, serving as his best man, noted Ranma's unease. The Rose Knight, clad in her best armor, cracked a joke. Ranma chuckled, which released some of his tension. There was a string quartet off to the side, playing soft airs, as the cavalry buglers sat on their mounts, armor and bugles gleaming in the sunlight that filtered through the surrounding trees of the grove. Thoth, the ibis-headed Egyptian god of knowledge, stood beside the altar in his best robes; Nabiki standing beside him to assist him.

With the last of the guests seated, Daisuke escorted Amaterasu to her seat. There was no denying her divine presence as an elder deity to any mortal from Japan. And it was a good thing that Daisuke was escorting her. Hiroshi would probably have a divine curse placed on him for doing something. The less perverted half the Perverted Duo from Nerima took his place next to Crystina. Next, Hiroshi escorted Nodoka in. Ranma's mother was dressed in her finest kimono with the Saotome Honor Blade secured in the obi, with another sheathed katana below it, as a traditional samurai would wear. Once the Saotome Matriarch was seated, Hiroshi moved to stand next to Daisuke. The perverted duo also wore dual katanas, but probably would wind up sticking themselves in their foot if they had to use them.

With military precision, the buglers sounded a call, and the quartet moved into a more Wagnerian-style air (think "Entry of the Guests" from _Tannhäuser_). Escorted by eight Valkyries, four in front and four in the rear, Lolth marched down to her seat. The Matron Goddess of the Drow gave Nabiki a look that promised pain, for being a follower of her traitorous daughter. There was nothing outright she could about it know, given the truce, but later…that would be a different story.

She was followed by Kasumi and Hanali, as bridesmaids, and Bast as the matron of honor. As soon as they were halfway down the aisle, there was another trumpet call, and the quartet began Mendelssohn's Wedding March. The guests stood, as Eilistraee was escorted down the aisle by her father. Corellon was wearing his finest armor, and his sword buckled on his waist. The sunlight glimmered off the divinely-wrought elven plate.

When Ranma saw his bride-to-be, his breath was taken away. Eilistraee was already a beauty, even in the pigtailed warrior's eyes, but today she outshone every other day. Her silvery-white hair, normally kept loose, was bound and braided, with two pigtails coming down behind her ears. She wore formal elven robes in a soft white, provided a stark contrast to her ebon skin. Light applications of makeup just highlighted her lips and eyes, allowing the viewer to take in the whole, rather than detracting from the image. Soft white boots completed the dress.

Corellon handed his daughter to her soon to be husband. "Ranma," he said quietly, "take care of my daughter."

"I will, Corellon-sama," he replied, accepting Eilistraee's hand.

"Mawwidge, that Bwessed Awwangement is what bwings us hewe today…" It was a shame that Thoth had been inspired by Peter Cook's bishop from "A Princess Bride" when he accepted the challenge of marrying a deity to a mortal. Marriage not being his strong suit, he'd asked Bast for some suggestions, and she suggested watching various movies to get some ideas.

Ignoring the basis of what Thoth was muttering about, Ranma looked over at his bride. _Gods, she looks gorgeous. I feel so unworthy of her right now. Why is Thoth speaking in that faked English accent? Is that a cramp I feel coming on? Maybe I should have stretched before getting dressed._

Thoth got to the important part of the ceremony—the exchange of vows. "Do you Eilistraee, daughter of Corellon, daughter of Lolth, take this mortal, Ranma Saotome, to be your wedded husband? Do have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?"

Eilistraee looked at her fiancé. She had truly come to love the pigtailed boy in the brief time that he was under her tutelage. Her father had been right about that. "I do."

Thoth looked at Ranma. "Do you Ranma Saotome, son of Genma, son of Nodoka, take this deity, Eilistraee, to be your wedded wife? Do have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until do you part?"

Ranma had made his decision a month and a half ago, the night he got kicked out of the Tendo Dojo. He knew he could never marry any of his other fiancées without a loss of honor, but that didn't persuade him from this course. "I do."

"The ring?" Crystina handed Ranma a simple gold and platinum band, a gift to him from the Corps of Eilistraee. "Repeat after me, then. 'With this ring…'

"With this ring…"

"…'I, Ranma Saotome…'"

"…I, Ranma Saotome…"

"…'Wed thee, Eilistraee.'"

"…Wed thee, Eilistraee." With the last words spoken, Ranma slipped the ring on to Eilistraee's left ring finger. There was a subtle flash of light, so unnoticeable that it escaped even Thoth's eyesight.

"Then by the powers granted to me by Kami-sama, I know pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride." Ranma pulled his goddess-wife into an embrace and kissed her. She responded in kind.

There was a shout from the back of the grove. "NO! I SHALL NOT ALLOW THIS TRAVESTY TO HAPPEN! THE FOUL SORCEROR SAOTOME SHALL NOT BRING THIS DEFENSELESS WOMAN INTO HIS FOUL PERVERSIONS!" Three guesses, and the first two don't count, of course. Some wedding guests were wondering how this particular lunatic got through the divine, elven, and human soldiers keeping the peace for this wedding. There were also the signs out front that warned about unauthorized persons will be polymorphed without chance for save.

Amaterasu stood and looked at the newly wedded couple. "I'll handle this, as this individual has invoked me for the wrong reasons for the last time. Consider it a wedding gift." The head of the Japanese pantheon strode down the aisle with a purpose, her katana out.

Both Elminster and Fizban looked at each other, nodded, stood, and joined the Japanese goddess. Eldritch fury could be felt to all present as the goddess, god, and immortal (if occasionally immoral) mage worked their magics on the intruder. Suffice to say, one scion of the Kuno clan will rue the day he disrupted a wedding.

Although Azusa Shiratori eventually did find Kappa-Kuno, declaring him "cute" and name him "Jacques" on the spot. Perhaps that right there is a fate worse than death.


	12. Revenge of the Zauvirs

Author's Warning: Heavy C.S Forester and Patrick O'Brian influences coming up, with just a touch of _The Marie Celeste_, **Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl** and Sid Meier's Pirates! to keep it honest.

Bring Dramamine, ye be warned. ;

00000

It had been a successful four months for the Shrine. Kasumi had fled the fathers, and had become an integral part of the small family of Ranma, Eilistraee, Bereth, Crystina and Nabiki. A few drow, mainly children rescued by dwarven allies of the Harpers from a drow city destroyed by mind flayers, were the first permanent residents of the Shrine that weren't there in either a spiritual, military, or familial capacity. A mutual aid treaty was signed by the Joketsuzoku and the Church. There were even a few Japanese who'd become intrigued by the Shrine's new residents, and became active worshippers of the Dark Maiden, giving Nabiki her first congregation. A kidnapping attempt of Ranma, by Soun and Genma, ended at spear-point. At least this time, but the Corps of Eilistraee would be more alert should a panda and a man in a dingy brown gi come anywhere near the Shrine.

Returning to the shrine after a long weekend training trip, Ranma noticed a pall of smoke hanging in the heavy summer air. He picked up the pace and, after adjusting his heavy pack, sprinted the last mile and a half to the grounds.

The house was a smoldering pile of charred timbers. The skeletal frame of the dojo that was being built clawed at the sky like a blackened hand. Small flames continued to lick at the timbers on both structures. Crops that had been almost ready for harvest had been turned to ash. Corpses of elves and humans in the colors of the Corps and humans in both black armor and what looked like business suits covered the meadows like so much split wood. Shiny brass cartridge cases littered parts of the field.

"Nabiki! Kasumi! Bereth! Crystina!" He called to the denizens he shared the house with. His voice was choked with emotion as he called the last voice. "_Eilistraee!_"

There was a rustle, and the redheaded garrison commander appeared next to him, leaning on a quarterstaff, heavily. To say she looked like hell was an understatement. A rough bandage turned her red hair into a cap that spilled over the cloth, her arms and legs sported other bandages, some soaked through, some barely. Raised by her father, there were still courtly patterns in her speech when dealing with their superiors. And rough as any crusty old Marine senior drill instructor when dealing with her subordinates. "Milor—Ranma: Eilistraee and Nabiki are gone."

"What do you mean, 'gone'?"

"Just that. We were attacked just after midnight this morning. And although we put up a vicious defense, milord, it was said that Lolth herself walked among our enemies."

"Damn. I wish I'd been here to greet my mother in law. What else, Crystina?"

"They…they manacled her…Eilistraee, that is sir. The only way to capture her would be with what appeared to be the Manacles of Bhaal, compelling her to go with them." Ranma hung his head. "They also took Nabiki with them. For fun I'd gather."

"Where? Where did they take them?"

The Solamnic knight rolled one of the black leather armor-clad humans with her foot. "Zhentil Keep, milord."

"Where are Kasumi and Bereth?"

"Sleeping milord. They're tired from treating the wounded, but otherwise healthy."

"Why?" Ranma asked, rhetorically. "Why would anyone do this?"

A cloak-shrouded figure came upon the two, under heavy guard. From the way the cloak swished, and other information, they could discern, barely, the sex of the figure. "Sir," the squad leader announced, "Under Sergeant Elythian. We caught her by the cavern, sir."

"Thank you Sergeant, You may leave her with us."

"Sir, she's a drow or my mother was an orc."

"And as per my wife's orders: unless the drow shows hostile intent, they are to be met with open arms." The squad leader sheepishly nodded, and released the drow female.

Crystina was ready to chew the junior NCO a new one, and even though Ranma had motioned for her to stand down, the look she gave him promised a dressing down later.

"Be welcome to the Shrine of the Dark Maiden; and be at ease," Ranma said in easy Drow. "I apologize for any rough treatment and the lack of refreshment, but…"

"I understand, sir," came the reply in lilting Drow-accented Elvish. "That is why I came here. To warn you about an attack that would lead to the Dark Maiden being captured." She paused, and opened her cloak a bit, but kept the hood up. "I am Maya Zauvir. And while it was my mother behind the attack, Lloth ordered it. It seems my news is of little importance right now," she added with a hint of irony, looking around at the bodies.

"How do you know this," Crystina asked, her hand going to where her sword should have been.

"I overheard the Mother Matron telling my oldest sister the plans for Lady Eilistraee's abduction. She also mentioned that the House currently had favor with Lloth, and would rise to even greater heights if they succeeded."

"And if House Zauvir fails?"

"Then the position of the House would be placed in a precarious position, having lost the favor of the Spider-Queen."

Reaching into weapon space, Ranma drew out his sword and scabbard and buckled them around his waist. "Crystina, rouse the priests and have the horses saddled. Pick out six platoons to remain here and secure the Shrine. The rest of the soldiers will be coming with us. Contact the Amazons, and tell them we will meet them on the other side of the gate, outside Zhentil Keep. Ensure that the Amazons receive maps or guides."

"Where are we going milord," Crystina asked, surprised at the sudden orders being given.

"We ride to rescue my wife." The pigtailed warrior looked at Maya. "I apologize, again, but it seems that you came at an…inopportune time, Lady Maya. I would like you to stay here, and rest. What soldiers we leave, will provide appropriate protection."

"My Lord Ranma," Maya replied, "I am an accomplished war leader, and a priestess in Lady Eilistraee's church. I will be coming with you, as it is my Lady's wishes."

Ranma, knowing what he should know, nodded silently.

It took time, but Bereth and Kasumi were roused, supplies were loaded on pack animals, orders were given to the six platoons remaining behind. In single file, the infantry led the mounted contingent on foot, towards the cavern. Under Crystina's guidance, a squad of infantry swept the cavern as a precaution. The only ones who knew of the portal in Cormyr were the Harpers, and a particularly old busybody living in Shadowdale. But since the overnight attack that resulted in a goddess being bound and captured, no one was taking any chances.

The column moved through the portal, and emerged in a large clearing near Bereth's compound in the Cormanthor. For Ranma, there was a noticeable difference between the air of late 20th Century Japan and the middle of nowhere Toril. The air felt, and smelt, cleaner with the sweet tang of wood smoke. "So, where to?" Eilistraee's husband asked.

Bereth looked at Corellon's son-in-law. "Best scenario Ranma, is that they're just a half day's ride ahead of us. Worst case, they opened their portal on to the main square of Zhentil Keep. Which is about a month's hard riding north and east of here."

Crystina added in her two copper pieces. "There is a third option. The Zhents who captured Eilistraee and Nabiki might feel uncomfortable transporting two drow overland, and opening a portal in the Keep would be…'suspicious' at best.

"Westgate is as wretched a hive of villainy as one can find on the Dragonmere; almost as bad as Zhentil Keep itself. Opening a portal there, or near there, won't present the problems of the Keep, nor would they have to travel overland, when they can rely on the anonymity of hiring a vessel."

Ranma, astride his horse, pursed his lips. "Great…water," he sighed. "Where is the best place to hire a ship here?"

"Suzail or Marsmember," Bereth replied. "Each has their pros and cons. Marsmember has a virtual 'no questions asked' policy, and lower costs. But the quality of the vessel would be suspect.

"Suzail will get us better quality, but at higher costs and more questions."

"I would rather trust quality over cost." Ranma looked at what amounted to a combined arms battalion under his command, less the six platoons left behind in Okayama. Two mixed companies of light and heavy infantry and archers, one from Evermeet, the other from Crystina's father, and an equally mixed company of human heavy and elven light cavalry. This, of course, did not factor in the teamsters, or the camp followers, numbers that equaled the battalion. "Bereth, Crystina, I need to talk to you. Alone." The two war leaders nodded, and followed the pigtailed martial artist a few dozen meters off to the side. "Is there anyway, we can leave the noncombatants here? Warriors they are not, and I'd rather not risk them on this venture."

Bereth bowed to the experienced campaigner in the half-elven female. Crystina fixed the Japanese youth with a look. "You can try, milord, but it's not likely. I've participated in several campaigns. My father participated in many more campaigns. Camp followers are, unfortunately, necessary baggage when on campaign."

"If we're going by sea, then we won't need cavalry. The infantry can take care of themselves and act as marines; I'll send the cavalry overland to Zhentil Keep with the baggage train, then. If we can't intercept them by sea, we'll rendezvous with the cavalry and baggage train."

"Excellent suggestion. I'll place Captain Dunellen in command of the detachment. I would recommend that they meet us a day's march east of Zhentil Keep. I'll also recommend that a smaller detachment remain here, to guide the Amazons to the Keep."

"Make it so, Crystina." Ranma said, turning his horse back around to the formation. Crystina returned after a few moments of conveying orders to the cavalry's commander. The human male, clad in resplendent, if slightly banged up field plate mail, nodded at the half-elven warrior's orders. Dunellen wheeled his horse around and headed back to his formation, and relayed the redheaded commander's orders to his troops. The two columns, escorting the camp followers, made a long, slow snake towards the north and east, towards the borders of Cormyr.

00000

A three day march found the infantry column just outside the city walls of the capital of the Forest Kingdom. A few times in their march, the Purple Dragons, the standing army of Cormyr, had stopped them. It was fortunate that Crystina, the daughter of the Rose Knight Thrakath al'Ralgha, had her father's old mercenary charter for Cormyr. It kept the patrol commanders from inquiring about why this band was going about the country without an adventuring charter.

The guards, two crusty old veterans of the Horde Wars, eyed the formation warily, letting only Ranma, Crystina, Bereth and Kasumi in through the gate. The bustle of the capital reminded the pigtailed fighter of the central wards of Tokyo, but not to the same extreme of overcrowding. They rode through, along the Promenade, past the Palace and Vanderghast's Tower, towards the docks.

Sitting tied to one wharf, which at the entrance a sign proclaimed "Honest Abe's Ship-o-rama", was a trim vessel. And the only vessel, other than a rotting sloop. Her hull, except for a white band about three feet below the spar deck, and rigging were black. The masts, spars, scrollwork, and small boats were white. Tying their horses off, the group made their way down the wharf, towards the frigate. Looking from his shack, Honest Abe, a grungy-looking dwarf, noticed the quartet eyeing the ship. Tottering out of his shack, the dwarf headed over to them. "So, are you interested in her?" For him, it was the possibility of making a sale from this metaphorical albatross around his neck. He'd found her abandoned after a major storm in the Sea of Fallen Stars, abandoned for what appeared to be no apparent reason, although the boats were still in place, dinners had grown cold in the crew areas. When he told prospective buyers about it, his reputation as the owner of a "cursed" ship spread, ruining what had been a thriving business. No one would buy even one of the 52 extremely well cast "Lantan" artillery pieces that lined her decks, or a musket, or even a cask of smoke powder in her hold, even when Honest Abe wasn't so honest and didn't tell the buyer where it came from.

"Yes, I am," Ranma replied. His skills in Common were rusty, his Drow and Elvish were significantly better, since he had to rely on them on a regular basis at the Shrine.

"A fine ship like this, complete with her Lantan artillery and a supply of smoke powder would easily cost between, oh 5 to 8 hundred thousand falcons. But I'm willing to make an offer of 300 thousand, as is."

Inwardly, Ranma rolled his eyes. _Man, I really wish Nabiki where here. She's been teaching me how to negotiate, but she's still better at it._ "That's the cost of a new ship like this. She's obviously been salvaged. Or, perhaps even stolen. 100 thousand."

"I'll admit that she was salvaged, lad. But not stolen. For the salvage value, I'll take an offer of 200 thousand."

"For that, I'll take full provisions, five hundred and twenty of the best sailors and masters in Suzail, along with full charts of the Dragonmere, Sea of Fallen Stars and the Moonsea."

"Deal, lad. Give me a tenday to get you your crew, sailing masters, charts, and the provisions."

"I'll give you five days, and an extra twenty five thousand."

"Five days, and an extra twenty five." They shook hands, and Ranma counted out 225 thousand in equivalent gemstones. Honest Abe looked at the wealth there, and mentally kicked himself for selling the ship at such a low cost, but the gain outweighed the loss. He got rid of the albatross and could get his creditor, a greasy elf with a penchant for pinstriped suits named "Vinny", off his back.

As the proprietor walked down the wharf, Ranma and his small party boarded their vessel. The frigate seemed like a ghost ship as she rode the gentle waves tied to her berth. In six days, the ship would come alive, as crewmembers would begin scrambling over her rigging, scurrying through her decks.

Ranma walked through the ship, familiarizing himself with her layout. It was during his walks that he looked at the ship's bell. The name of the ship and home port weren't written in any of the written languages of Toril, but in English. "'USS _Enterprise_, Boston, Massachusetts, 1798.' That explains where she came from," he said with a smirk.

As he continued his walks, Ranma grimaced at the artillery sitting on the spar and gun decks, but realized that they were a necessary evil, especially since he was going after a ship of unknown capabilities, and given what he'd seen riding along the docks, the artillery would give him a decisive advantage in a running battle. The only problem would be the resupply of his powder magazine. According to Bereth and Crystina, Toril was a world on par with Earth during the late Middle Ages or early to middle Renaissance Period. Gunpowder was not in great supply, but in great demand at exorbitant costs.

The pigtailed warrior strode into his cabin at the stern of the warship, and looked out the gallery windows, past the harbor, and towards the Dragonmere. Somewhere out there was his wife and her priestess and his friend.

00000

Honest Abe actually proved to be reliable. In the five days Ranma allotted, he managed to find a crew, charts, and full provisions for the frigate. The only problems were that the crew had no experience handling muzzle-loading cannon or muskets before. It'd take time to drill them into a well-oiled machine, but at a heavy expense of the precious gunpowder. Ranma was in his cabin, pouring over the charts of the Dragonmere. His wife's abductors had a five day head start, but Suzail was closer to the Neck than Westgate.

Harper contacts from Westgate to Suzail had sent reports to Ranma, about two females, possibly drow, and in irons boarding a merchantman. Further reports added more intelligence about the ship; such as she was painted black and red, hoisting black sails as she departed Westgate. The final tidbit of information that came in was that a slave ship named the _Acheron_ normally sailed from Westgate to Thay was chartered to Zhentil Keep.

A plan of action settled, Ranma opened the door to his cabin. Two of the infantry from the Shrine, one elf and one human, stood guard. "Have the ship's officers report to my cabin," he said.

"Yes sir," the one guard called. The request for the ship's officers was relayed quickly, especially as the bosun's mate piped the Officer's Call. Crystina, Bereth, and Misters Bush, Brown, Roberts, and Pullings arrived within moments of the call.

"You wanted to see us, Ranma," Crystina asked, as the guard closed the door after Mr. Pullings' arrival.

"Yes. I figure that the ship carrying Eilistraee and Nabiki is about five days out of Westgate, based on information we've received through the Harpers."

"The only problem with that sort of intelligence, milor…Ranma, is that it's possibly out of date." Crystina did have the advantage of fighting land campaigns with out of date intelligence.

"Then we sail as soon as possible," Ranma replied.

"Ebb tide within the hour, Lord Ranma," Mister Bush stated.

"Then we sail within the hour," Ranma stated simply. "Make sure all hands are aboard and any remaining provisions are stowed. Gentleman, Lady Crystina, dismissed." Ranma stood, and looked out over the Dragonmere again, as he heard the racket coming from the upper decks, as his orders were carried out. _May the Kami have mercy on who ever abducted my wife and Nabiki. Because I certainly won't._


	13. Into the Fog

Author's Warning: Heavy C.S Forester (Horatio Hornblower) and Patrick O'Brian (Aubrey/Maturin) influences ahead, if not blatant, outright use of their works. No infringement of their works is to be intended, nor am I making any profit off this work.

Bring Dramamine, ye be warned.

AN: For those of you who've noted it, I'm aware that the original USS _Enterprise_ was a sloop-of-war; but please forgive this humble author for a little literary license. Especially since I was originally going to use the oldest ship in commission, and pride of the US Navy, the USS _Constitution_, but decided against it. And using a frigate named _Enterprise_ is just too good pass up. See below for information on the _Enterprise_.

00000

Eilistraee weakly opened her eyes, revealing to her a dimly lit cargo hold. As her eyes adjusted to the infrared spectrum, she was able to see around, and discern the various heat patterns available to her. The wooden hull of the ship was generally a cold blue, although there were warmer areas, showing her where the shipworms were munching their way through the thick oak timbers and the rats that infested the hidden areas of the ship. Nabiki, she saw, was lying nearby, either asleep or unconscious; when the goddess tried to move towards her priestess, chains rattled and held her back. But the Japanese drow was breathing easily, which alleviated some of the goddess's fear. As did the fact that her morning sickness had yet to return.

She took stock of her tactical situation. She was chained to the bulkhead of a frigate, the Manacles of Bhaal snug around her wrists, severing her connection to her worshippers and clerical orders, thus sapping both her spiritual strength as well as her physical strength. Stagnant seawater sloshed around the decking, soaking her clothes and chilling her to the core. The creak of timbers and ropes under the strain of full sail, the rush of water against the hull of the merchantman, the gruff shouting of orders, and the squeal of gun trucks as the ship's main armament was moved into position on the deck above her. Eilistraee almost missed a light, almost musical chuckle just within earshot. "So, the traitor is my prisoner," a voice said with cold amusement. "Now then, where is the strength that killed my sister, eh? And where is your pathetic defender of the faith?"

Eilistraee turned to her captor, her chains rattling as she moved. "And who might you be, child," she asked.

There was the noise of a cloak hood lowering, and the shuffle and splash of soft boots against the sodden deck. "I am Faeryl," she declared, "eldest of the Spider-Queen's priestesses of House Zauvir, now that my sister is dead. I suppose I should thank you for that."

"And what have I done to you or your family, child," the goddess asked.

Faeryl smirked, her cold, almost predatory beauty enhanced by the smirk. "My goddess has charged our family with a holy quest…"

"Surely you're not seeking the Holy Grail," Eilistraee interrupted, with her own humor laden smirk.

"No, we aren't, defiler," Faeryl sneered. "Lloth demands either you or your head. Whether we provide one or the other to her is acceptable, and will ensure our elevation as _the_ preeminent Drow House." This was, of course, followed by the appropriate sinister laughter.

"You do realize, Faeryl, that my husband will move the heavens and earth to rescue Nabiki and myself," Eilistraee replied with all the confidence in the multiverse.

"Your 'husband' is merely a pathetic human male," Faeryl snorted. "His defeat of our weapons master was pure luck. Your faith in him is misplaced."

"Be that as it may be, child, but he _will_ come. And he will do what is necessary, including kill you, 'pathetic' human male or not."

Faeryl's response was to merely walk back to her cabin, leaving the imprisoned goddess and her unconscious priestess in the hold.

"Ooh, my head," Nabiki said, as she slowly regained consciousness some hours after Faeryl left. "Did someone get the license plate of that tractor trailer?" Eilistraee chuckled lightly at her Japanese priestess's comment. "Where are we?"

"Prisoners aboard a slaver," the Drow goddess replied. "Probably on our way to meet my darling mother."

"What? How did that happen? And why am I chained to the wall?"

"For the same reason that I am," she replied, bringing up her manacled hands. "At least your manacles don't strip you of your powers.

"How much do you remember the attack on the shrine?"

"I don't. I was sleeping at the time," Nabiki replied honestly.

Eilistraee adjusted as much as her bindings would allow. "It was the kind of night that my mother and her worshipers like: overcast and moonless. The Zhentish soldiers and Yakuza came in through the national preserve that borders the shrine." She sighed, and began telling her priestess how they wound up in this predicament. _At least_, she thought, _it will pass the time._

00000

The _Enterprise_ glided silently through the waters of The Neck, the straits between the Dragonmere and the Sea of Fallen Stars, through patches of fog. One of the junior officers of the Company had the deck; two of his companions had the watch. Looking through the glass, Subaltern Avery caught the barest glimpse of sail through a fog bank. "What is it," Subaltern Jones asked, as Avery lowered the glass.

"I thought I saw, just for a moment, a sail in the fog."

"Where?"

"A point off the starboard bow, in the fogbank."

Jones held his glass to his eye, and looked in the direction specified. "I don't see anything now. Are you sure it was a sail?"

"Positive. Just for a moment, though. What should we do? Should we beat to quarters?"

"You have the deck, Avery," Jones said.

"But what if it was just a fisherman?"

"Then it wouldn't be an exercise in futility," the third Subaltern, McKimmson, added, as he lowered his glass. "It would be good practice for the crew."

Avery began waffling, as Jones looked aft, past the expectant forecastle crewmen. "We shall beat to quarters!"

The watch drummers began beating "Quarters"; bosun's mates began blowing their pipes, waking the slumbering watch. The crew rushed about the ship to their specific battlestations, while the hammocks were being brought up from below. Gun crews manned their artillery, as ship's boys ran below, to the powder magazines to run pre-measured charges of black powder back up to the guns. The kitchen fires, just stoked for breakfast, were doused, sending up clouds of steam through their flues. Bulkheads disappeared on the gun deck, as Ranma came out of his quarters, throwing a jacket on. Down in the cockpit, Bereth and Kasumi prepared their station for the injuries that were sure to happen.

Ranma walked forward, a glass in hand. "What is it?"

"I thought…for a moment sir, I thought I saw a sail; a point off the starboard bow, in the fogbank."

Ranma looked at the three subalterns. "Did anyone else see it?"

"No sir," Jones said.

Ranma stood there, looking through his glass towards where the ghost may have been seen. He lowered it after a few moments. "Very well then; we'll keep the guns run out, and continue on with the morning. After breakfast, we'll exercise the guns," he said to his assembled officers, but not taking his eyes off the fogbank. They acknowledged his orders, and left the pigtailed martial artist watching the fog.

The frigate sailed through a dead quiet sea, with only the rush of water beneath her hull and the barest whisper of wind through her rigging, coasting in and out of the fogbanks. Ranma continued to stand at the bow of his ship, watching the fog, even as his steward brought him up a cup of tea, and life returned to normal on the _Enterprise_. The decks were cleaned and holystoned. The pigtailed captain stood there, watching through the fog. The bell sounded seven bells in the middle watch, and the bedding was brought up from below. Crystina came up from below, dressed in something more appropriate for the morning watch than the nightgown she was seen in when they beat to quarters.

Just at he turned to go below to get ready for the day, Ranma's danger sense began screaming "Danger Will Robinson! Danger! Danger" to him. Turning, he saw about a dozen flashes in a fog bank about 2 or 3 cable lengths off the bow. "DOWN! EVERYONE DOWN!" Ranma shouted, as he and the rest of the crew dove for the deck.

A dozen cannonballs came screaming across the deck, hitting spars, rigging, sails, masts, and anyone unlucky enough to be too slow in responding to Ranma's sudden shouts were hit by falling debris. Shroud and stay lines snapped; the fore yard came crashing down on the deck, catching a couple of crewmen. Out of the fog, came gliding the red and black nightmare, the _Acheron_. As she approached the _Enterprise_'s port side, the slaver opened up with a tremendous barrage of fire from her own Lantan artillery and ballistae mounted on her decks. _Enterprise_'s gunners returned fire in a ragged broadside. The _Acheron_ swung around the _Enterprise_'s stern and opened fire, the shot raking through Ranma's quarters.

"Hard to starboard," Ranma ordered, as he made his way back to the quarterdeck, through the debris and bodies.

"Aye sir, hard to starboard," the helmsman repeated. The bow of the _Enterprise_ swung around, painfully slow. "Sir, my helm's hard over."

"Very well, keep her hard to starboard," Ranma replied, leaving the quarterdeck for the gun deck.

"Fire as your guns bear," Crystina shouted on the gun deck. In a rolling procession, the portside 24 pounders and carronades began firing. The next volley from the _Acheron_ smashed into the wheel, before the black and red frigate disappeared into a fogbank.

"Sir," the quartermaster shouted, "helm's been shot away."

"Kuso," the pigtailed warrior muttered, as he looked towards the _Acheron_'s fog-shrouded form. He couldn't tell if she was coming closer, moving away, or turning to attack again. He picked up a speaking trumpet. "Clear the wounded and prepare to repel boarders!"

The idlers and waisters began clearing the decks of the wounded and dead, bringing them below to Bereth, Maya, and Kasumi. Killick, a dwarven blacksmith who'd followed the infantry and was pressed into service as Ranma's servant, came stumping up to the quarterdeck, Ranma's sword and belt in hand. Swords and cutlasses were handed around to the crew, elven archers and human musketeers climbed up the rigging to the fighting tops to rain death from above.

Of course, even on a different planet, with different gods, they continued to prove the old saw that they protect fools, drunks, children and ships named '_Enterprise_'. The _Enterprise_ drifted in the light breezes, her course determined by the set of her surviving sails, the crew anxiously awaiting attack from any quarter. An order for the ship to be quiet was passed fore and aft, as the damaged frigate ghosted in and out of fogbanks as the day wore on, and the sun began to sink in the west. "Milord," Crystina said quietly, "I think they've sailed off."

"I wouldn't be a bit surprised," Ranma replied. "Stand the crew down from quarters, Crystina and commence repairs. Mr. Lambe reported four feet of water in the hold. Keep the pumps manned throughout the night."

"Yes milord," Crystina replied. She turned and relayed the orders, as Bereth came up from below, a sheet of paper in his hand.

"Here's the roster for Kelemvor. 15 dead, 30 seriously wounded, and 25 minor wounds. Midshipman Avery's suffered a depressed skull fracture; he's not expected to survive the night."

"Wonderful," Ranma replied, wryly, as the clanking of the chain pumps came up from the open hatchway. "Do what you can to ease their passing. Have the watch stream the best bower anchor, to keep us into the wind. I'm going below."

00000

The watch was piped up, beginning the next day. However, instead of the usual routine, hammers, axes and saws began chipping away at the damaged areas of the ship. Sailcloth was streamed around the hull of the ship; the holes in her side patched with the cloth and bungs pounded in. It wasn't the best system, however it did allow for hull to remain watertight. Ranma was on the quarterdeck, seen arguing with the master about putting into the coast of Sembia and spend three weeks crawling around for a tree the right size to replace the damaged mizzen.

The hands were piped below for dinner, and Ranma disappeared into his cabin to first write up his logs and to eat. While dealing with a seasick priestess of his wife, Ranma struck up a friendship with Maya. In a way, they were both outcasts in their families; Ranma because he went against his father's wishes, and Maya because she refused to worship a goddess of treachery and deceit. Granted it hadn't helped that Maya had spent the past two tendays leaning over the rail, as the _Enterprise_ patrolled The Neck. The pigtailed husband of Eilistraee kept to one side of the quarterdeck, while she continued to retch over the side. Bereth had tried magic and Kasumi had tried herbs, to no avail for her. It was a problem with Maya's inner ear, and it was just going to take her time to get her sea legs. Of course, the continual pounding of the cannon as the gun crews were trained and became proficient in their use didn't help the seasick priestess. One thing he began trying with her was playing a musical instrument, as a distraction. The pigtailed martial artist had picked up the violin in the very short time that he, Eilistraee, and Nabiki were at Okayama High; and, after a rough start, had become surprisingly proficient in its play. Of course, Eilistraee turned it into a challenge to the martial artist.

Maya joined him in his cabin, and began plucking the strings of her cello. "How's this," she asked. "Or would you prefer something more…aggressive?" There was a hint of amusement in her voice, since the pigtailed martial artist had spent the last twenty days sailing in a circle, investigating each ship that came near The Neck. At least until the _Acheron_ showed up and blasted the hell out of the _Enterprise._

Ranma counted out in time with her plucking, nodding his assent as he took up the bow of his instrument. The strains of a Mozart violin concerto began coming through the open windows of the cabin. "Here we go again. Saw, saw, saw. Squeak, squeak, squeak. Nothing you can dance to," complained Khillegh, as he prepared Ranma's meal.

As a priestess of Eilistraee, one of her requirements was to take up a musical instrument, since the goddess is a patron of music. Normally Maya played a small lyre since it was small enough not to be noticed or commented on by her sisters. However, since returning to Toril, the Drow priestess had somehow acquired a cello. The two devotees of Eilistraee, husband and priestess, became fast friends, and musicians. When Maya wasn't puking her guts out topside, that is. "So, what happens next," Maya asked, as they played.

"As soon as the crew and ship are ready, we're going to chase after them. I'm not going to let them get to Zhentil Keep," he replied, setting down his violin.

Maya set her bow down. "Have a care, Ranma," she said plainly. "That smacks of vengeance, which can only bring about your demise. You, of all people, should know that Eilistraee wouldn't honor this request. Unless it affects her fight with your mother-in-law."

"Maya, you don't think I know who set up this attack, but believe me, I do. Out of all the drow deities, only Lloth knows where we live. And if she didn't know before the wedding, she knew after. She set up an attack right after we moved to the Shrine, just before Eil-chan set up the wards against scrying.

"Besides, Eil-chan is pregnant."

The glass of wine Maya was holding slipped out of her numb hand, and shattered on the oak deck. "H-how do you know that?"

Ranma smirked his trademark smirk. "I was trained to be the best martial artist of my generation. Which includes reading auras, although it wasn't easy when I started. Before I left for my training trip, Eil-chan had aura in addition to her normal one, which is tight, like a watch spring when it's just wound. This other aura told me that she'd fight to save her unborn child. From anything or one."

"Oh my," Maya replied.

There was a knock at the door, and Mr. Bush stuck his head in. "With Mr. Lambe's compliment's Captain, the ship's as ready as she'll ever be."

"Very good, Mr. Bush," Ranma replied. "Set as much sail as she'll take. I want to capture these bastards."

"Aye sir. Cor'sails and stun'sails, sir." The third lieutenant nodded, and left the Ranma's cabin.

* * *

_Enterprise_ Errata:

_Enterprise_ was constructed at Hartt Shipyards, Boston, Massachusetts, as was her sister ship, USS _Constitution_, and launched Christmas Day, 1797, and is officially rated as a Fifth Rate, or heavy, frigate, although could be considered a Fourth Rate ship of the line, because of the number of guns. She served in the Caribbean Sea, hunting pirates after serving with the _Constitution_ during America's Quasi-War with France (1798).  
During the War of 1812, the _Enterprise_ engaged a convoy escorted by HMS _Adamant_, a 4th Rate Ship of the Line, inbound to the island of St. Kitts. _Enterprise_ successfully beat off the larger ship and captured several prizes.  
In 1813, the _Enterprise_ returned to Boston for refitting and rearmament, before sailing to the Mediterranean Sea for continued antipiracy duties in 1814. She was last seen off Cape Cod, New Year's Day, 1815, and failed to report to her station in the Mediterranean. The information below represents her armament and crew as of her recommissioning in late 1814.

Tonnage: 2,200 tons  
Length: 204' (overall)  
174'10" (gun deck)  
145' (keel)  
Beam: 43'6"  
Deck height: 7' (between gun and spar decks)  
6' 4" (gun and berth decks)  
Draft: 21' (forward)  
23' (aft)  
Crew: 38 Officers, 376 enlisted, 59 Marines  
Rig: Full-rigged ship (43,710 square ft of sail)

Armament:  
30 24-pounder long guns  
20 32-pounder carronades  
2 24-pounder bow chasers


	14. Revenge is a dish best served with ramen

Disclaimer: Still not mine. Ranma belongs to Takahashi-sama and a whole slew of companies; Eilistraee, Forgotten Realms, and characters therein belong to TSR and Wizards of the Coast; Hornblower and Aubrey/Maturin Characters belong to their respective copyright owners. All I own are the _Enterprise_, Bereth, Crystina (I can always scan their character sheets for proof), and any other characters I come up with.

* * *

Chapter 12: _Revenge is a dish best served as a side dish…with Ramen?_

Bayankala Mountain Range  
Qinghai Province, PRC

A swirling vortex of mystical energies began form and open in front of the gates to the Joketsuzoku village. The guards readied their weapons for what denizens of Hell would come pouring forth to attack their small village. Trumpets and horns sounded from the towers, calling the villagers to arms to defend this small portion of Earth from the unholy legions bent on global destruction. As the vortex stabilized, Amazon archers lined the walls facing the vortex.

So it was much to their surprise when only two cloaked riders came out from the vortex, the banner of Eilistraee worked into their cloaks. "Get Kuh Lon," one of the guards in one of the towers called down. "Riders from Japan."

The aforementioned Matriarch pogo'd up to the gates. "What is it, Lather?"

"Riders of Eilistraee, Matriarch," the Amazon called down, "not the armies of Darkness riding forth."

"Open the gates." The guards at the gate proper heaved the bar off, as windlasses in the towers began cranking, swinging the gates back. The vortex that caused all the commotion winked out of existence with a "pop".

Riding into the gates, the two emissaries from the Church of Eilistraee halted their spirited mounts in front of the aged Matriarch. Cologne looked over the two, noting the unstrung elvish composite bows on their backs, the sheathed longswords within easy reach near the pommels of their saddles. "Emissaries of Eilistraee," Cologne called in Japanese, "be welcome to our humble village."

Both riders pushed the hoods of their cloaks back, revealing their faces for the first time. Both were silver elves of fair features, one with silvery blonde hair, the other though had traces of wood elf in her ancestry—with the red hair, green eyes and freckles. The lead rider, the one with silvery blonde hair, dismounted, and bowed before the prune on a stick. "Matriarch Cologne," she said, "I am Siliverntolwen, emissary of Lord Ranma, beloved of Eilistraee; my Herald, Lónannûniel." The redheaded elf nodded slightly. "I come bearing grave news, and a request from his Lordship." There were, of course, murmurings among the Amazons around the two emissaries.

Cologne made hushing motions. "What sort of news, honored Emissary?"

"Lord Ranma requires the assistance of the Amazons in liberating his wife." Suffice it to say _that_ got the attention of the Amazons, if Cologne falling off her staff was any indication.

00000  
Frigate _Acheron_  
Two days west of the Isle of Prespur

The water in the hold of the frigate was up to the waist of the two drow prisoners chained to the bulkhead. Above them, the clanking of chain pumps and the splash of water gave them some indication that the crew of the _Acheron_ was concerned about their ship. Apparently a few of the ragged broadsides from the _Enterprise_ managed to score some minor hits below the waterline of the Zhent-chartered slaver. "Well," Nabiki commented, "this is certainly a fine mess we've gotten ourselves into."

Eilistraee smiled grimly at her priestess' comment. "That it is, my child. That it is. I wonder, though, whose warship we tangled with. No navy that I know of has massive amounts of Lantan artillery mounted on their ships. Of course, it doesn't surprise me that this ship we're in would. Thayian slavers have the Red Wizards approval for what they do, and therefore access to the arsenals."

Nabiki shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe it was Ranma," she said half seriously. "After all he does have this uncanny knack for beating the odds."

The Goddess of Good Drow smiled in the darkness of the hold. "Yes, he does, Nabiki." She sat there for a few moments, thinking about her pigtailed husband and the exhibition duel before he went off to train with Solonar.

"Eil-chan, Ranma's like family to me. Hell, after the attempted wedding to my violent little sister, he forgave me when he found out that I had placed both he and Akane in mortal danger." She paused, trying to find the right words. "Family honor was the excuse that our parents used to force them together time after time," she spat.

"I know that excuse well," Eilistraee sighed. "My father signed an agreement for me to marry Ranma when he was 5. But from the time he returned to Earth, I truly fell in love with him."

"He does have that affect on women, my Lady," Nabiki chuckled. "I was all set to take on the engagement, but his curse frightened me. And my 'darling' younger sister seemed like she could accept it. After all, if Akane hates boys, then where's the harm in being engaged to someone who's a girl half the time…"

Nabiki was interrupted by the door to the hold thumped open. Down the ladder came their tormentor, Faeryl. The drow priestess halted just short of the water sloshing around the hold. "It seems your husband does indeed have some skill, traitor. However he won't survive when next we meet."

"Then that was his ship you engaged?" Eilistraee asked, curiosity heavy in her voice. There was also a subtle overtone of hope.

"He was seen on the deck. However, it matters not," Faeryl snarled. "When next we meet, he will die. And then you will meet your mother."

Nabiki decided to add her two yen. "You know," she said, "everyone who fights Ranma always says that. And then they tend to lose. Quite badly."

"Do not underestimate the power…"

"Of the Dark Side of the Force," Eilistraee said with a grin on her face. Nabiki caught the reference, and couldn't help but laugh.

"Bah, I don't know why I even bother. I should just let Lloth deal with the two of you," Faeryl growled at the laughing pair of good-aligned drow, as she turned and headed back up the ladder.

"Mistress," Nabiki asked, as the hatch slammed shut, "why do you taunt her with cheesy movie lines?"

"Because it's fun," Eilistraee replied. "It's all keeping in the spirit of Anything Goes. Because I've come to enjoy seeing look on Faeryl's face when I make fun of her, by finishing her sentences with those lines." The drow goddess raised her shackled hands, the chains holding her to the bulkhead rattling. "Because I can't fight her as I would any other time. Were I not manacled in with these, you would see just how much damage I can do when I'm angry."

"Eilistraee, I _have_ seen you when you're angry. Remember that first night at the shrine? I was watching from the window to my room."

"Quite right," the imprisoned goddess's voice trailed off, leaving the two drow in silence, with only the clanking of the chain pumps providing any noise.

"Eilistraee, may I ask you a personal question?"

"Of course, Nabiki. Since you are like a sister to my husband; and that would make you my sister-in-law, as well as my priestess."

"Why?"

"'Why' what?"

"Why Ranma?"

"You've had almost a year to ask me, and it comes up know?"

"Well, between school, training under Ranma and Crystina, and tending to the needs of my small flock, I haven't had the time."

"It's a rather long story."

"Well, we appear to have plenty of time," Nabiki said, wryly.

The drow goddess formerly known as the 'Dark Maiden' sighed. "Father wanted me to lighten up, and lose the 'Dark Maiden' title. But I was so caught up in my millennia-old war against my Mother, for her treachery to our surface brethren, that I never had time to find romance, or even the occasional fling. I only saw my fight as my life; to lead my people back to reconciliation with the world of light and trees, of fresh air and cleansing rains.

"I guess Father saw Ranma's potential to be a great ally and bridge the differences not only between humans and elvenkind, but elvenkind and drow. Or Father thought that Ranma would have been abused his during his married life, and would have died either a shriveled up shell of his former self or with a tanto in his belly, and needed a fiancée that would not want him to put aside his dreams and hopes for his wife's."

"Ukyo and Shampoo, right?"

"They are part of that equation. Ranma told me about Ukyo, and how they used to pal around together. But her dreams were not his dreams; no matter how hard Ranma tried to dissuade her from trying to pursue him, she continued to have Ranma in her dreams, working beside her.

"Shampoo was blinded by her tribal laws. You saw that yourself before when she barged into our house. The whole 'Women are strong warriors, men are for making babies' philosophy of the Amazons is, unfortunately, Mother's as well. Ranma would never have been happy in that environment, whored out to spread his bloodline throughout the Amazon tribe. He would have died a bitter man."

"Sometimes, I don't think any child knows what their parents are thinking about," Nabiki said. "Genma with his whoring out his own son, the worst being the marriage contract for a bowl of rice, pickles and two fish, or Daddy forgetting his own marriage arrangement with the Chardin family, or even Corellon providing a legally binding marriage contract between you and Ranma.

"There were times I wish Daddy had been able to stay strong after Momma died. His grief overcame his control, and no student worth their salt would want to learn from an overly emotional sensei. Kasumi chained herself to the house, giving up on applying for Tokyo University and going into medical school. I had to find someway to keep the Dojo afloat financially. Akane, my poor sweet delusional sister, buried herself into her martial arts. I think the Tendo Clan died the day Momma died."

"I wouldn't worry, Nabiki. Somehow, I think that between you and Kasumi, you'll revitalize your Clan."

"I hope so, Mistress. I'd rather not have the current generation be the last of the Tendo Clan."

"Nabiki, when Ranma gets us out of this mess, and back home, why don't we all take a trip back up to Tokyo, see your father and pay our respects to your mother."

The drow of Japanese descent smiled. "I'd like that, Mistress."

00000  
USS _Enterprise_  
12 hours behind the _Acheron_

The former US Navy frigate sailed through the rollers of the Sea of Fallen Stars, the fourteen starred and striped Stars and Stripes and the broad pennant on the mainmast streaming in the breeze. Ranma paced the quarterdeck, like a caged tiger. _Enterprise _was among the fastest frigates built by the US Navy in the late 18th Century, capable of almost 250 nautical miles a day. But she wasn't fast enough for pigtailed warrior. They had shortened sail, taking in the cor'sails and stun'sails in the face of a freshening gale the day before. But even with just the mainsails set, _Enterprise_ still managed to get within 12 hours of the slaver. Killick brought up a cup of tea for him, but left Ranma to his pacing. The watches changed, and the officers of the deck stayed away from their captain.

"With Mr. Lambe's compliments," Midshipman McKimmson said, saluting. "Repairs to the lower hull have been completed, and is reporting eighteen inches of water in the hold, and holding."

"Very good. Mr. Roberts, how does the glass look," he asked the officer of the watch.

"Holding steady at 'Fair', sir," the former Cormyr Blue Dragon (Royal Navy) lieutenant replied, stumping back from the barometer. He'd invalided out when a bolt from a pirate's ballista took his leg off below the knee and was fitted with a peg leg. "You're thinking about adding more sail, sir?"

"What was the last reading of the log?"

"10 knots, sir. We're not going to do much better than that without a War Wizard conjuring up winds."

"I know," Ranma replied, pausing in his pacing. "I'd rather do this on my own, and not rely on a mage or magic."

"Of course, sir. Although, I've heard that you are favored of Corellian…"

"No magic, Mr. Roberts," Ranma growled. "Reset cor'sails and stun'sails and set the royals as well. As much canvas as she can hold, for as long as the barometer holds steady."

"Aye, sir." Roberts pivoted on his peg, and turned to the bosun of the watch. "Royals, cor'sails and stun'sails if you please, Mr. Gareth."

"Aye sir," the bosun replied, before turning and shouting "All hands to make sail! All hands to make sail! Last one up'll report to me for punishment!" The ship's drummers began beating the call to make sail while the bosun's mates piped the call through the open hatches, and the crew began pouring up from belowdecks. From high atop the masts, the booms were rigged, yards set, and sails bloomed out. The _Enterprise_ began to accelerate, as the sails caught the wind.

"Twelve knots, Mr. Roberts."

"Twelve knots, sir," he reported.

"Good. As long as this wind keeps up, we'll catch up to those bastards. I'll be below, Mr. Roberts." Ranma left his section of the quarterdeck, and climbed down to the main deck. Of course, his Jusenkyo curse hadn't been happy about not being activated for so long, so as Ranma made his way to the belowdecks, a wave came up along and broke over the deck, and, incidentally, hitting the aquatransexual. "Gah! Killick there, a cup of hot water!"

"I guess that would explain why the Captain doesn't like magic," Roberts said to himself, as he stumped along the quarterdeck.

00000  
The Joketsuzoku Village  
Qinghai Province, PRC

The Amazons had brought the two elven emissaries into the main council chambers. Lónannûniel hid a smirk as she looked around the table at the Elders. She was almost as old as some of the eldest, yet she was barely approaching middle age. Siliverntolwen set her teacup down, and spoke. "Elder Cologne, you heard correctly. Lady Eilistraee and her priestess Nabiki were captured by drow and Humans aligned with Lloth…"

"Forgive me, Emissary, but how did they capture Lady Eilistraee," Perfume asked. "According to Kuh Lon, she is a deity."

"That is correct, Elder. The Zhents used the Manacles of Bhaal on her." At the confused looks on the Elders faces, Siliverntolwen explained what the Manacles were. "The Manacles are, from what I've heard, a fiendishly sinister magical set of manacles, designed to severe a deity from their spiritual realm, and thus their power. No one knows why they were created, or why they were named after an elder god of Death."

"And these are what have bound Lady Eilistraee?" Cologne asked.

"Yes, Elder. Lord Ranma feels that your assistance is required and would be greatly appreciated."

"We will need to deliberate on this, Emissary. Please accept the hospitality of the Joketsuzoku during our deliberations. Shampoo, please take the emissaries to the guest lodge," Cologne said. She added, in Mandarin, "The emissaries are to be accorded all rights and privileges of allies to the Amazons. No Challenges, and certainly no Kisses."

"Understood, Elder," the purple haired Amazon replied.

"Thank you, Elder," Siliverntolwen replied smoothly. She and Lónannûniel rose from the table and followed the former fiancée of Ranma out of the Council chambers and across the village square, past the Challenge Log.

Unfortunately for Lónannûniel, a certain myopic duck boy mistook her for Shampoo and tackled her in a flying glomp. "Oh Shampoo," he cried, "let me show you my love for…say, why is your chest smaller?" His hand closed on one of the redheaded elf maid's breast and squeezed. Several times.

"Stupid Mousse," Shampoo shouted, as she hit him off Lónannûniel with one of her bonbori and into a cistern. "You grope emissary of Eilistraee. You lucky she not request your head as apology."

"Who's to say I won't," the redheaded elf replied, as she reached for the longsword hanging from her belt.

The now blind duck began quacking furiously at Village Champion, when he flew out of the cistern. "You is dead duck now, Mousse," Shampoo replied to his squawking. "We should ask Herb to lock you. Have Peking Duck for dinner tonight in honor of emissaries."

"Does this happen often," Siliverntolwen asked, confused. Lónannûniel had grabbed the white duck by his neck, much to the concern of said duck, who began quacking up a storm,

"Sadly, yes Emissary. Mousse not care who he glomps. He annoyance, but is harmless."

"I don't care," Lónannûniel growled. "He grabbed me where only my betrothed is allowed." She released the grip on the hilt of her longsword, and reached for her dagger.

"Lónannûniel," Siliverntolwen said patiently, as her companion brought the tip of her dagger up to the beak of the myopic pervert. Mousse's eyes grew large, and he ceased his attempts to escape. "Let the Elders handle him. He is their problem after all."

"What problem would that be, Emissary," Cologne asked, pogoing up. She almost fell of her staff when the Matriarch saw the lethal intent in the redheaded elf's eyes. "Never mind, Emissary. I see that Mousse has embarrassed us once more.

"Emissary, the Council of Elders has finished its deliberations, and we will send a detachment of Amazons under the command of Tei Pei."

"Thank you, Elder," Siliverntolwen said, bowing graciously to the shriveled Matriarch. "Please inform Tei Pei that we will be leaving as soon as the sun illuminates Mt. Phoenix. And not to eat heavily this evening; the teleportation circle tends to make the uninitiated…ill."

"Thank you for the information, Emissary." Cologne turned to her great-granddaughter. "Fetch Mousse's cage. We'll keep him there until we decide his fate."

"Yes, Elder."


	15. Chapter 13

Disclaimer: Still not mine. Ranma belongs to Takahashi-sama and a whole slew of companies; Eilistraee, Forgotten Realms, and characters therein belong to TSR and Wizards of the Coast; Hornblower and Aubrey/Maturin Characters belong to their respective copyright owners. All I own are the _Enterprise_, Bereth, Crystina (I can always scan their character sheets for proof), and any other characters I come up with.

I'd also like to acknowledge one resource that this humble author is deeply indebted too- Patrick O'Brian's _Men-of-War_. Without it, I think this would have been a poorer story.

Chapter 13:

USS _Enterprise_  
60s hours east of the Isle of Prespur

Bosun whistles began piping the crews up, as the ship's drummer began beating to quarters. Ranma stood on the quarterdeck, along with his officers, looking aft, through a glass. Half a mile ahead of the former American frigate was their quarry, the _Acheron_. On the quarterdeck of the red and black frigate was her captain and officers doing the same thing, as was a cloaked covered form.

"That's seamanship," the master was overheard saying to one of the junior lieutenants. "To come up on their wake, after a chase of seventy two hours."

Maya lowered her own glass. "That cloaked form would be my sister, Faeryl, Ranma."

"Did I kill her husband, her sister, or Corellon-forbid, her daughter?"

"She's driven. Like you," the worshiper of Eilistraee said quietly. "She knows that her cargo has significant value to you. And is working to deny you that cargo."

"I grow weary of this chase," Ranma growled

"Just what are you going to do," Crystina called, as she followed the pigtailed martial artist up to the fighting tops.

"I'm going to take away their advantages," he replied, as he continued to climb the rigging. He reached the maintop and looked around the platform, before deciding that he was still too low, and continued climbing up to the maintopgallant yard. Steadying himself against the rolling motion of the ship, quite evident almost 200 feet in the air, he could feel the ship gain headway, as she spread more sail.

"We're beginning to gain, Ranma," Crystina called from the maintop.

"Are the guns ready?"

"Double shotted, and run out, sir."

"Go below, and take charge. As soon as the first broadside has finished, reload with grape and canister. Sweep her decks. Colors and pennant, if you please Crystina."

"Yes sir."

Ranma watched the redheaded half-elf descend back to the main deck, before returning his gaze to the horizon. The _Acheron_ was steadily getting closer, growing larger. Puffs of smoke belched from the red and black frigate's sternchasers, as columns of spray were sent up from the 9 pound shot impacting ahead of the _Enterprise_. He thought about the three lives buried deep in the hold, if he were to fail; lives that were to be considered forfeit if that ship were to reach Zhentil Keep, and thence to Lolth. Above him, the _Enterprise_'s original 1814 commissioning pennant caught the wind and snapped out to its full hundred foot length, as the Stars and Stripes rose over her quarterdeck.

The mast he was on shuddered, as round shot from one of the long 9s from the _Acheron_ hit the hull of his ship. The slaver was well within range of _Enterprise_'s own bowchasers, but Crystina was holding the gun crews back from firing. Ranma raised his hands, and fired off a Möko Takabisha. The ball of confidence ki, growing in size and power as it tapped into the magic weave of Toril, flew the distance separating the two warships, before severing the _Acheron_'s starboard foremast shrouds. With the cables on one side holding the mast in place severed, the tension from the larboard (port) shrouds pulled the foremast over, fouling her deck, and slowing her. Sliding down a backstay, he called to the quartermaster "Now, bring us alongside her. Guns, fire as they bear!"

In a great rolling thunder, the _Enterprise_'s batteries fired, two 24 pound cannonballs from each gun slamming into hull of the _Acheron_, causing more carnage on the deck of the enemy frigate. "Boarders, stand by! Helm, bring us along side!" Pulling his longsword from stuff-space, Ranma jumped down to the waist, ready to lead his crew aboard the target. Human and elves opened fire with musket and bow from the fighting tops, as the two frigates crashed together. Another volley from the _Enterprise_'s main deck cannon swept into the masses of crew on the _Acheron_'s deck.

"Grapples!" Sailors with grappling hooks tossed them over the side, hooked on to the black and red frigate's gunwales, and began heaving the two ships together, before making them fast. The first of _Enterprise_'s crew dashed across the debris and boarding planks, followed by Ranma and Crystina, leading the main boarding parties. Below, gun crews were firing with pistol and pike, bow and musket

The main deck of the _Acheron_ was a charnel house, bodies of dead and dying slavers lying where they were cut down by the initial volleys. There was scant resistance along the gangway; several of the _Acheron_'s officers were dead, the crew of slavers disorganized. The _Enterprise_ crew let out a cheer. "Quiet! Silence, there," Crystina called out, as the Corps made their way across the ruined deck.

Then from below, a rush of men, threatened to overwhelm the boarders. The fight renewed, and _Enterprise_'s crew fought lustily, even as several 24 pounders slammed into the former American frigate's hull. Gunports were blown out on both ships, and more boarders from the _Enterprise_ leapt aboard the slaver. Bereth charged, leading one group of gunners in a charge, his mace swinging. Kasumi and Maya, leading another group, followed, their own weapons sending slavers to meet with Kelemvor for final judgment.

* * *

Ranma entered the captain's great room cautiously, sword at the ready. Sheet music lay scattered about the deck; a violin smashed on top of it. "That hurts," he muttered, looking at the shattered instrument.

"So the boy thinks he's a man." he heard from behind him, as he walked around an overturned table. As he spun to face his taunter, her obsidian dagger plunged into the bicep of his sword arm. The sword he'd carried all throughout his childhood clattered to the deck. "Pathetic. I don't know what Eilistraee sees you," Faeryl sneered.

"Perhaps it's more than you'll ever know. Hell, your own sister believes in her, and in me," Ranma replied, holding pressure on his right arm.

"Foolish male! Now die!" Faeryl slashed and swung with her dagger, while Ranma danced and weaved out of her reach.

"You know, every one I meet eventually tells me to do that. From Kuno, to Ryoga, to Saffron to your Goddess. Somehow, I always seem to ignore their advice and keep living."

"This time you will…"

"Because the dagger is poisoned, right? I've had it up to my eyeballs with poisons, potions, and food poisoning. And I have had enough of you." Ranma leapt on to a dismounted 12 pounder, then made a flying leap at Faeryl. With Amaguriken-speed, his feet hit the Drow priestess, along her chest, face and arms. The force of the blows was such that her sternum shattered and her black heart was pulped within her chest cavity. The dagger dropped from her limp hands, as she collapsed in a heap on the deck. "This wasn't a fight," he muttered, tearing a piece of tablecloth and fashioning a bandage out of it.

"Ranma," Crystina said, as she and Maya entered the great room, "I give you joy of victory. They've surrendered."

"Good. Let's go find my wife," he growled, picking up his sword with his good arm.

00000

Eilistraee looked up at the deck above them. All she could tell was that there was had been a furious battle, but she couldn't tell who had won. At least until the chains rattled of the hatch that led to the hold of the frigate. Expecting to see their captor, she was pleasantly surprised to see her husband descend the ladder. "Ranma," she shouted, and went to go hug him. That was before the chain confining her pulled tight against the oak timber, and pulled the drow goddess short. Nabiki chuckled at the sight, like it was something out of an old American short comedy. Eilistraee came up, and spat out a mouth full of foul bilge water.

Ranma chuckled, before entering the cold, dark water and activating his curse. "Let's get you out of here and up on deck." The redhead waded over to where her wife's chains were attached, and, with nary a battle cry, attacked the solid oak timber. The wood weakened enough, the cast iron eyebolt pulled free from its restraint and splashed harmlessly into the water.

Free enough from her restraints; Eilistraee wrapped her arms around her currently female, and sawdust covered, husband and hugged him as best as possible. "Thank you beloved," she purred into Ranma's ear.

"Maybe I should just keep you chained up, Eil-chan," the goddess redheaded wife replied.

"Um, hey, Saotome," the only other Drow chained in the hold called, "would you mind releasing me too?"

Ranma looked at her wife, who nodded. "Fine," and with a mighty yank pulled the chain free.

"Always a flair for the dramatic, eh Saotome," Nabiki quipped.

"Hey, who knew what Eil-chan's manacles would do to the surrounding timber. If they're strong enough magic to prevent them from allowing a goddess access to her powers, then they'll probably reinforce their hold on whatever they're chained too.

"Now, how to get you free?"

"If you would bring Eilistraee up on deck," Bereth called from the hatchway, "I believe I might have a means."

Ranma motioned towards the ladder. "After you, milady Goddess."

"Thank you," Eilistraee said before taking one step before stepping on the chain underwater, and dunking herself. As she came up with a sputter, she glared at her husband. "Perhaps you should take the chains and lead me, dear."

Ranma smiled and replied, "Gladly."

* * *

On deck, Bereth motioned for the Drow goddess to place her manacles on one of the few mounted guns still on the deck. Unhooking his mace, the elderly priest of Corellon Larethian began taking a few practice swings like the Sultan of Swat. Eilistraee patiently cleared her throat. "If you're ready, Bambino, I hope you won't mind taking a swing my chains."

"Of course Eilistraee." With a mighty swing, Bereth swung the mace down on the interconnecting chains. The resulting combination of divine and infernal magics threw Bereth back into several of the sailors who'd gathered to watch, cracked the cannon through the carriage, and blew a hole in the deck into which the now unsecured gun fell through…and through the deck below that, and through the hold, to the bottom of the Sea of Fallen Stars. The _Acheron_ began to list, as water flooded into the hole.

"To the _Enterprise_," Ranma and Crystina shouted at the same time. "Abandon ship!" There was a mad dash for the gangplanks as the deck of the red and black frigate began to shift closer towards the sea.

Once on the safety of their ship, Crystina looked at Ranma. "Well, milord, now what?"

"We meet up with our mounted detachment, hire another ship, and sail back to Suzail."

00000  
**Ched Nasad**

The Matron Mother of House Zauvir ran, actually ran, to the summoning chamber. Talabrina, the youngest daughter, had brought word that a yochlol was in the chamber. As the eldest Zauvir hit a puddle of spilt wine and skidded into chamber, she saw the Handmaiden of Lolth irately tapping a pseudopod on the finely carved altar. "Matron Xune, your chosen agent, Faeryl, has failed. Lolth is not impressed with this second failure of your family to capture or kill the Goddess's wayward daughter and bastard of a husband."

"I…" Xune started to say. That is until a pseudopod hit her across the face, sending the Matron Mother hurtling against the far wall.

"Lolth doesn't except excuses, Xune. She demands actions. And you were given one last chance." The yochlol closed the distance on Xune, and the Matron gave a blood-curdling scream as the Handmaiden assumed a gaseous form and enveloped her.

Guards, led by the last surviving eldest daughter, came rushing into the chamber, only to see the skeletal remains of the Matron Mother on the floor of the chambers. Another guard came rushing in. "Mistress Laele, House Seerear is attacking!" Magical explosions could be heard in the background, amid the sudden din of armsmen clashing in the courtyard.

"Defend the House," Laele, the new Matron Mother, called. She drew her wand. "For House Zauvir, and glory!"


End file.
